Kervallion

Martin is left alone, Moosa is not

The party where in The worlds fence buying “recovered” items from a shady auction and while inspecting their haul where interrupted by someone implying himself to be the owner of Terba castle’s arcane laboratory asking how they got in, the party promptly attacked. They stabbed but he did not bleed, Moosa was paralysed and Rolan was compelled to stop and not long after arriving the mage disappeared. The party gathered what space remained in the portable hole alongside Rolan’s new alchemy lab and where carried away by Rolan who was able to observe that they seemed to be completely alone in the auction house.

In the morning the group asked after Mark and where
told that someone had been summoned from Estaria to help him, someone who also had an interest in speaking with Thia. Later where wandering the docks in the direction of Tilo’s ship when someone called out in their direction “Martin! Martin is that you?”. Eric arbalest for the “Company of St. Martin” and apparently old friend of “Martin”. Mara went with “Martin” to meet the old company and had to sprint to keep up as Moosa fled a company in which he was no longer welcome.

A curious party was offered a deal of shots for questions. Thia left to delve into the deep and arcane mysteries of the soap of refreshment and Mara got all she wanted in short order, leaving Rolan, Moosa and Howling Under The Two Moons to be inquisitive as they could stomach, leaving them with the challenge of making it back to the inn. Wandering the streets the pair where offered some assistance making it home Rolan and Howling under the two moons refused and left but Moosa was intrigued at what he saw as an opportunity for some extra-party interaction, Mara for her part spent her efforts ensuring that Rolan didn’t lose the portable hole.

In the morning Moosa arrived back at their inn wearing a lovely new dress and leather boots combination he had acquired, it was also noticed that he arrived without the white streak in his hair. Moosa did have instructions on meeting up with the person in possession of his equipment so after a day of Rolan and Howling under the two moons searching the town to find where the portable hole ended up (Mara had it) the group converged at the meeting place.

Moosa didn’t ask Sarra’s name but she did all but confirm that she was the one Vigo had sent after the golden knot in Mara’s absence and seeing the nature of the party came to the logical conclusion that she was unlikely to get it back from them, the more questionable decision was holding Moosa’s equipment ransom for assistance in robing the Ironguard bank, the group was given some time to consider and told to meet back up tomorrow.

Robing the bank could be difficult but not impossible for a group such as they where and could even be profitable, the bigger problem was that after a misunderstanding involving the feywild artefact Mara informed the party that she had other business and left saying they would see her in Valendris afterwards…

The party arrive in Arcona

Mark Valor along with all his magical equipment Rioter included was stored in the portable hole as the party chartered Tilo Viera’s ship for a journey to Arcona. Mark was able to spend some time tied to the mast but once land was sighted Mark was back in the hole and the hole was placed in a corked bottle.

Arriving in a city that housed both mages and priests Thia searched for the next item her book demanded, Moosa found accommodation and Rolan and Mara visited an alchemist who being not to their liking let the whole group to arrive at the Estarian cathedral. A sedated Mark was given over to the priests care as was seven hundred gold (and a tip about the secrets of Terba castle).

The Estarians reported that Mark showed signs of being scarred by dark influences and so was restrained. The party where told that these might be gradually healed with time spent there and that someone would be contacted to sponsor his recovery. The party watched as Mark tied to a table and begging them to save him had a fluid pored over his eyes that dissolved them the resulting liquid stored in two bottles.

Mara became aware of a semi-secret auction that would be taking place and might lead to items she and Thia wanted. That would occur after nightfall so Thia had time to indulge a rapidly growing interest in gambling houses. Mark safely locked away the party turned the trip into something of a working holiday partaking in the seafood, fruit alcohol, cards and dice available. Rolan and Moosa gambled as Thia lingered taking notes, Moosa ended up ahead but used his winnings to make Rolan strike even.

Thia and Mara took the opportunity to purchase new clothing that they might look nice for the auction, Rolan, Moosa and Howling Under The Two Moons explored a little visiting the markets and buying some potions, a herbalism book and…. a magic lantern

the auction the party attended seemed to be the possessions of a wizard beginning with basic robes before the magic came out the original owner having fallen on the wrong side of Estarian justice but not before inventing small magical effects for his own standard of living. Thia ( predictably ) started by bidding on wine but did also acquire “Soap of refreshment” and “No-pain tooth rinse”. Mara tracked down a woman she suspected was sent by Vigo as a replacement for Mara herself, Mara did win a set of “cut-proof purse strings” and a set of cut-crystal bottles (with stoppers and storage case) but gave up on the location tags. Moosa got into a small bidding skirmish over potion, scroll and spellbook supplies with a wizard short of patience and stature. Rolan cast a thought to his underhill home and purchased an alchemy lab in the hopes that he would somehow be able to transport it back home.

The last two items where what the party had come for, Mara competed against her counterpart for a necklace of gems and a golden knot making full use of more than one treasure pile the group had looted. Moosa bided on black iron lantern winning in the end by bidding more than he actually had without Thia’s assistance. The two items won at auction all the party had to do was claim them without anyone stopping them or stealing anything…

Mark is arrested twice

Done with their northern Home Invasion the party travelled back south, Moosa brought a large part of the Verdant sun back because the north wasn’t that dangerous surely a smaller force can maintain ground without him. Moosa and the mercenaries marched, the rest teleported but in the end all roads led back to Valandris including that of Mark Valor.

When Mara was paying a visit to Edward Mark didn’t recognise Edwards antics for what they where and so snuck up and impaled him which was for Edward inconvenient. Edward was sent to Ferri and Mark was taken to the Valandris academy to see Thia. After taking the salt test Mark explained that he had come to town to try and get an item of his identified the “Rioter”. Mark had a glove with a metal frame sown in and he claimed that when he clicked his fingers it made others around him aggressive, that he had started a tavern brawl. Mark talked of testing it further as Thia thought of ways to perhaps test it safely Mark talked of testing it at the local tavern, getting word through the earrings Mara and Moosa mad their way to the tavern ahead of Mark bringing Ferri.

Outside the tavern Thia alerted Zanthon to Marks intentions, Zan suggested that he stop Mark before he starts something but Thia said to wait she wanted to see what happened and she still thought Mark might be joking. Inside the tavern Mark looked around, took a start on a quick drink with Moosa, wandered off to inspect the back smoking rooms and clicked his fingers.

Those within earshot of the click which rang out unnaturally loudly and clearly became suddenly alarmed instinctively sensing some immediate danger and a need to flee or strike back. Many fled rushing past or over other some attacked whoever was closest. Moosa resisted the effects and had to resist Ferri, Mara did not but she knew the source of her distress and sought out Mark. Thia who had been waiting outside the tavern (and indeed the riotous effect) helped track down Mark she begun casting putting Mark to sleep and then restraining Mara, soon after Zanthon and Griffolk arrived with a force of guards to clean up with a recovering Ferri.

An unconscious mark was taken to the keep having been striped of all magic items while the party along with Ferri and Margret Vint gathered in the academy to try and destroy it which did prove problematic as it soon disappeared arriving back in Marks possession and allowing him to escape killing the extra guards Mara arranged. As Mark tried to hide Thia scried and knowing Mark as well as she did succeeded. Catching up Rolan and Howling Under The Two Moons tackled mark to the ground briefly but released him when they saw that Mara was shooting him. Mark had one last chance to escape but Thia still scrying found him and begun casting again draining the moisture and vitality form Mark until he was subdued again. Rolan revived Mark who surrendered, he returned his sword to the portable hole and….. was caught trying to steal back the rioter and his vest.

This time Mark was sat in an academy room surrounded by old friends, Ferri was asked to do what he could which didn’t seem to be enough. Thia sealed Mark in a sphere so he couldn’t access the sword as they tried to destroy it. The sword could resize itself and so caused some Rolan to miss his axe strike more than once, Rolan got one good hit in but do damage was seen, discussing concentration was briefly lost, the spheres duration ran out and the sword disappeared, everyone was searched but it could not be found and Mar was again blind.

Mark tried to accuse Ferri of being a cultist and claimed to be working for Vigo though neither claim seemed to save him. Thia was ( or perhaps wanted to be ) convinced that this wasn’t Mark, that he was possessed or it was a Slaad, Rolan was happy to stand with his old friend and prepared himself to make a daring rescue should the need arise, Mara admitted that she hadn’t known Mark as long as the others and couldn’t trust him, Moosa recalled Thia burning people alive Mara poisoning and Rolan impaling he had spent five years looking for the party and knew what he was willing to do for his friends.

Mark was convinced that he was dead and so took the opportunity to get some last barbs in but despite his best efforts Mark was not yet executed, the last of the party’s goodwill allowed a plan where they would transport Mark to Arcona and he would not return. Storing Mark in Rolan’s underhill home the party took one last day to prepare before they exiled their old untrustworthy and sarcastic friend to foreign lands…

The party invade someones land for profit

Moosa was invading the Gateway to the north for Erin Hastings and the rest of the party had been invited along. Sneaking up to the walls in the predawn hours Thia cast a spell that caused a section of the outer wall to form a tunnel they could travel through, then that in place she created two arcane gates, one inside the castle one outside allowing a force set up beforehand to begin flowing into the courtyard. Mara Stormwind possessing of a magical pair of slippers was able to walk directly vertically up walls, an ability she used to attack guards from unexpected directions as she made her way to open the castle’s portcullis. As more arrived in the courtyard and the main force approached Rolan and Howling Under The Two Moons where seen leaping between towers and running across crenelations, that is those not distracted by the huge raging swarm of ravens. The ravens swarmed one man at a time completely overwhelming them and once the party where gaining control of the walls swarmed the large melee in the courtyard. Joining through the arcane gate was the Valandris mages who immediently sought high ground so as to rain down what fire they could muster. As the battle seemed to be decisively turning in the southerners favour there was witnessed a last desperate charge by a heavily armoured individual lated identified as perhaps the castle’s walls, ended when Rolan rendered him headless.

The walls breached and the courtyard taken, next came the main keep and soon the castle itself. As some began reasserting the defences they had just thwarted others took the chance to rest and drink looted spirits. There was found a hole in one of the back walls and an arrow pointing out to the forest but the party decided that it wasn’t worth the risk of investigating.

Rolan was approached and asked if he could take a look at some strange plant life growing in one of the buildings further from the keep itself. The building however rather than strange plants and flowers as had been suggested featured some pale gentlemen with hostile intent one of them perhaps identifying themself in “Do you know why they call me ”/wikis/terba-castle" class=“wiki-page-link”> Obby the rat? Because rats survive". Rolan found himself briefly paralyzed and as he was attacked weakened, shortly before the party could arrive to render assistance Rolan backed out of the room only for his attackers to close the door behind him and as it soon became clear flee.

The keep had been taken, “Obby” was still at large but if the party had a plan for dealing with him it would not manifest yet, Moosa had to send word to Erin Hastings and have the castle prepared but then there was other party to deal with. Rolan had strange directions from another dimension pointing south of Avissium and Thia had orders from an old book pointing to Arcona but the party’s first concern was the “disappearance” of Zorias and his teleportation circle that the party presumed led back to Xargosia…

The party join an active siege

Most of the party where trying to reenter the world after being gone for Five years and Moosa had unfinished business before he could go back to running around with his old group. And so Moosa, Mara, Rolan, Thia, Howling Under The Two Moons, and five mages from Margret’s makeshift academy (Thomas, George, Joane, Berton and Johny Lowe) marched north with a resupply wagon for the “Verdant Sun”.

Moving through the hills Rolan found the paths the raiders had used to safely get the party to the edge of “The endless forest” without noticeable resistance. This forest being unfamiliar and some what foreboding the group skirted the edge between the forest and the local swamp the whole time getting the impression that they where being stalked from the forest. Fearing an ambush the group took to camping the wagons inside a ring of arcane domes. Using a druidic technique he had neglected Rolan was able to reach out his consciousness and discern that there where two groups of six individuals in the forest likely following. Mara tried to instruct the mages in how to maintain a proper watch with limited success but it was only the first in a series of efforts to dissuade the mages of the notion that the trip would be any kind of grand adventure. Following up from his detections Rolan scouted ahead and discovered a large pit with spikes grown from the soil at the bottom and signs that it might have been dug by claws not dissimilar to the creatures Rolan summons to do the digging for him, all that could be determined for sure was some hostile intent.

As an unfortunate effect from traveling so close to the swamp the group found themselves surrounded by a rolling mist making visibility a problem. In the mist Rolan and Thia spotted a group of what turned out to be humans, humans in Verdant Sun colours as it turned out which is why it was strange when they attacked. Rolan took most of the attacks before the mages caught up and all cast fireballs decisively ending the conflict. Investigating the bodies it was discovered that they all had black eyes and slit throat which even for the north was unusual. Moosa had the bodies loaded onto the wagon and they continued on.

Eventually the party did arrive at the Verdant Sun/Hastings siege of the northern castle and had a chance to rest a little. Settling in Rolan found that he was recognised as second in command and treated as such, Thia made sure the mages where adequately set up and Mara met Naythe a former crew member of Zanthon’s who had joined up with Moosa in the party’s absence and he introduced her to some of the rest of the company who had it seemed lost some faith in Moosa during this “cursed campaign” to the north.

Rolan decided to investigate the castle in question which turned out to be surrounded on three sided by forest. Any town structure existed entirely within its walls but there was enough of a drainage system to allow an elf with a little nature magic to send through an Avissium rat who he had magically bonded with to do a little scouting, nor did the castle stop that same elf from magically camouflaging himself and the giant owl he rode by night to scout from above with his elvish night vision.

Over their journey the Valandris mages had been snuck up on, urinated on, been shown fresh corpses and given the impression that they where definitely going to die. They had been taken out to introduce the officers their magic and “show them your not demons” and been provided a personal bodyguard each. On what they thought might be their last night they gathered and drank, they turned away the employed company Mara sent their way bud did engage in some “who will kill more” gambling Moosa encouraged.

That same night Rolan instead sought solitude and so meditated outside of camp with Howling under the two moons. Back in the camp a howl was heard followed by a loud bang, the party heard through their earrings Rolan’s predicament and rushed in his direction hearing another bang. Moosa, Mara, Thia and a small calvary force arrived to find Rolan, Howling under the two moons and two large dead bipedal wolves along with reports of a third that fled. Rolan had healed himself but Moosa made Tavis give a small blessing just in case.

That night before dawn the party would try and break a siege half a year in the making, Thia prepared to open magical doors and gateways, the mercenaries prepared to fight and the mages prepared to die surely they would be fine so long as there where no more undead scouts, charging wolves or tribal elves…

The party return to their salted home

Thia, Rolan, Mara and Howling Under The Two Moons stepped out of a land of eternal Sunset only to return to a Valandris not quite as they remembered it. After they passed “the salt test” Zanthon told them that he hadn’t seen them in seemingly almost five years as opposed to the months it had seemed to them. More salt and some magic confirmed as well as could be determined that the party where who they said they where so they where able to reintroduce themselves to the world. It turned out that the last time the group had been in Valandris building things and spending platinum they had gained something of a reputation, a reputation that had only grown since they disappear suddenly especially when those who knew them insisted that they weren’t necessarily dead and could return at any time. The teleportation circle and Margret Vint’s efforts had turned the upstart academy into a functioning school for the arcane arts but it was Thia’s reputation that filled it with would be campaigners wanting to throw fire and quip at monsters. Time and the teleportation circle had given Valandris a functioning Estarian chapel, a heavily Hastings presence, complete walls for the castle and a trading economy with Avissium in essence most of the things the party had wanted for Valandris (except perhaps independence form the Hastings).

Thia was able to reacquaint herself with Vancill while Mara and Zan had one of their very rare open conversations about their relationship (certainly the first in five years) and decided that for the moment they would pursue a relationship pleasing Valandris’ gossips to no end. Rolan made do expanding his personal holdings with the assistance of Giles and one of thia’s pixies (sprites?, fairies?). The pixies had been loaned out to various party members and allies during this time seeking adventure and glory and mostly finding guarding and lawn mowing.

A couple of weeks had passed and the party had settled in somewhat when a filthy disheveled Estarian rode into town wearing battered armour, Moosa had not been with the party for their sunset adventures and so had spent the last years building his mercenary company and searching for his lost friends. The party being mostly unscathed from their experiences looked after a battered Moosa ensuring he was bathed and fed, taking his armour to be repaired and giving him a drink Rolan brewed with deepwood moss that induced a magically restful sleep.

On their return the party had encountered many of their old allies to check in but one they couldn’t find was Zorias who had been gone almost as long as they had last being seen in the house in Valandris he had been given, investigating Thia found a note reading only “sorry” and the faded remains of a teleportation circle, in an act of restraint almost reaching sane Thia did not immediently use the sigil herself.

While there was a wish to find Zorias and a need to follow Thia’s Estarian book (now pointing to Arcona) Moosa had actually come from a siege in progress and that still had to be resolved. The party as Moosa’s friends volunteered themselves to go back with him and help resolve the situation, Thia being dismayed that Moosa had never recruited any mages into his army brought along some of her fans form the Valandris academy. And so the party rode to the untamed north to fight monsters and men and to end a siege almost a year in the making…

A trip so nice they took it twice

The party where trying to make it to the land of the fey and learning to Look before you leap. To this end they had made a visit to Pentagast Davion and his iron cave who directed them to at least the direction that a fey crossing might be possibly. Seeking a clearer solution the party went to the nearby druidic grove where they again encountered the (troublesome) druid Inda, she was able to give clear(er) directions involving moving through walls of vine, following these directions they stepped through….

Back in the clearing the party where able to stop and rest, their pursuers apparently unwilling or unable to follow. The party was however confused and dazed as they had in returning lost all memory of their journey beyond. They searched their equipment for clues finding the formal wear, the bottles and a note Rolan had penned about the elven relic, they did however take the blue flower on Howling Under The Two Moons as just a flower. Their mission seemingly unfulfilled the group set out again towards the vine wall and crossed back over to the land of eternal twilight. Sneaking around the camp of their hulking pursuers they made it back to the Imperial road and begun back towards the elven city. While resting for the… evening Thia again noticed the inexpert stalking of Gregory the satyr again sketching the group. In a not dissimilar manner to last time Gregory was again caught though this time announced himself as Jeff. Reacquainted with Gregory/Jeff’s vulgar company another deal was struck this time Gregojeff would lead them to the elvish city’s place an Rolan would return the sketch book again confiscated.

This time the party where led to a village outside the city seemingly unoccupied tough still looking maintained. though hidden tunnels the group made their way back into the city and begun (with Rolan’s magical assistance) sneaking their way through to the palace, upon arrival Grogojeff claimed his book back and promptly fled stopping only to take his second attempt to steal Howling under the two moons’ flower. Before the party could begin some elaborate plan to break into the palace Mara deduced that Howling under the two moons’ flower was indeed “The face of everything” and they had had it with them the whole time.

Returning to the forest they entered, the group narrowly avoided successfully sneaking past more of the brutish individuals camped in the area. In the ensuing fight Mara was unlucky in sneaking, Rolan conjured many large badgers, Thia almost burnt down the forest and the party won. Searching the camp it was found that the brutes had been trying to cook still living fey creatures (pixies?, fairies?, Sprites?) who upon being rescued pledged themselves to their new “fire lord” unable to come up with a nonlethal way to get rid of them Thia took them along ignoring Rolan’s requests to claim one.

The party passed through the vines again and made it seemingly back to reality, after one more rest in the druid grove they begun the journey back to Valendris. Flying over Valendris the town seemed to be prospering, suspiciously well even the castle had even been repaired. As the group moved through town a growing crowd begun silently following them, as the made it to the outside of the “Ear to the ground” (now with a sign depicting what the name implies) Thia grabbed a bystander and asked “What year is it?”…

we're going to behir all day

Returning from Terba castle the party had no immediate obvious threats, Moosa frustrated with his finances but unwilling to accept money from the party decided to take some time (and T.B.H. ) and travel to northern Estaria to work on forming his mercenary company leaving with a “goodbye, no don’t tell me what your going to do”. Rather than sit idle in Moosa’s absence Thia offered the party another mission, this time she was questioned about where these tasks where coming from and so she told them.

The wizards sanctum the party had found contained a book titled “Help I’ve discovered a hidden library/laboratory full of magic: A beginners guide” it contained a series of tasks for the one who found it along with a geas to ensure they do. The reason that Thia had had the party break into Terba castle and steal the warding crystal was because the book told her to. Thia had apparently been geased by some combination of the book and the green leather chair in the library and so had to (at some point “Obey the books commands”). The book now talked of “The land of Faeire” a parallel realm from which the fey come. The book spoke of a pristine waterfall framed by two trees that one must jump off to cross over.

The party traveled back into Estaria flying out of the Terba valley and reaching Arrent a city on the edge of the forest they planned to enter, there they stocked up on rations, water and waterskins preparing for a place where they couldn’t necessary trust food and drink they found/where offered. Rolan led the group into the forest and found the river the book spoke of and followed it upstream. On the journey floating lights where spotted that Thia identified as will-o-wisps and creatures that could lead travelers astray, the party ignored them and they stopped seeing them as they got closer to their destination.

Getting closer to the mountains Mara heard distantly ahead the sound of combat, moving ahead the party saw that the waterfall flowed through a ruined building not mentioned in the book. sneaking up to the courtyard the group found corpses strewn about and a large blue reptilian creature. The party attacked and the creature charged Thia, almost killing her before Rolan intervened. When a healed Thia unleashed the inevitable fireballs the shaken creature spat out what turned out to be a still living man in full plate mail Sir Octavio Maubourg. The creature suffering from burns, cuts and a shot out eye attempted a retreat but was scorched of the wall it climbed. With the combat over Sir Octavio was able to introduce himself claiming that he was there specifically to fight that creature, when the party suggested rest he pulled supplies from the corpses about (his retainers as it turned out). While they rested tales of adventure where told including the Dragon of Iron pass while this was going on it was noticed that Sir Octavio never took of his helmet or armour. Thia stepped out from the camp and

Sir Octavio joined the group as they searched the ruined monastery they found themselves at. The place clearly hadn’t been used in some time and had signs of a failed defence against some attacking force, perceptive force that the group was they noticed the small pale creatures lurking in the rafters waiting to ambush. The creatures struck out with toothed hands and tried to choke but like so many before fell to arcane fire. Investigating a back garden the trees mentioned in the book where found arching over either side of the river to meet above, following the instructions Rolan leapt from the cliff to the pool below, Thia and Mara followed. The three found themselves not in a mysterious land of the fey but instead in a pool lucky not to have killed themselves.

The party where led to the conclusion that if this had been the crossing they where looking for it was no longer. Thinking perhaps they had simply arrived at the wrong waterfall the group spent the rest of the week searching up and down the forest leaving Sir Octavio to brave the lower levels of the monastery. With none of the other waterfalls matching the description the party where led to the conclusion that their information was out of date and the building of the monastery or perhaps something that had happened there had disrupted the effect. They did revisit the monastery only to find it seemingly cleared, its monsters slain any treasure gone. Still needing to reach “The land of Faeire” the party drew up a teleportation circle and paid a visit to Pentagast Davion…

snitches get stitches, rats get magic longswords

The party had left The town that platinum built for Estaria on a quest of dubious origin. Thia directed the group towards Terba castle where they where to break into the dungeons to recover something she apparently needed. The party dressed as nicely as they had means to and hid their obvious magic before riding in to meet the lord. Moosa informed lord Merrin that he was in the area searching for his missing scoundrel of a brother in law Berem. Moosa was suspiciously evasive about his own status, Mara had more success first telling the story of one of their bold adventures then negotiating to quickly go down to the dungeons to see in she recognised anybody, leaving the rest to wait outside holding the “Verdent Sun” banner and telling tales of grey renders. There was only one prisoner present in the cells that day Obby “The Rat” who while friendly enough was neither Berem nor an artifact Thia needed. Following Thia’s directions (given through the earrings) Mara checked the back wall of the furthest back cell and spotted a small carved marking, apparently what they where looking for.

Gathering the next day most of the group entered the portable hole while Thia teleported herself through a window in Obby’s cell and into the dungeons. The party regathered from the portable hole and moved to the back cell, briefly joined by Obby before Rolan decided to kill him. At the back wall Thia spoke the words “Let shadows hide what light cannot understand” which opened a secret door into a hidden chamber ( how she knew to do that remains unclear ). The chamber beyond seemed to be some kind of arcane laboratory, a strange find in Estaria, there was a series of tables covered with restraining straps, above the tables was a series of sliding plates that could be moved to uncover magical symbols, Moosa found this out by becoming stunned for a minute. While the rest collected books and tracked down the gold Thia begun messing with a device she pulled from the wall that begun glowing and loudly humming. The noise seemed to alert the dungeon guard though he was unable to interfere as the party had closed the hidden entrance behind them. The device was obtained along with books and gold and the party teleported away.

The party had borrowed there horses from a local village and then left them at the castle before teleporting away, with some cautious use of Rolan’s giant eagles members of the group where able to get back to the castle within a few days and smooth talk their way into getting the horses back while the incident in the dungeons was still confused and unclear. as this trip took place Thia back at the ( safehouse?sanctum?laboratory? ) opened a spellbook to find an arcane symbol that stopped her heart. Fortunately Tavis happened to be stuck in the area and was able to revive her.

The party had stolen a warding device from a hidden and presumably nefarious arcane laboratory in an Estarian landed knight’s castle for reasons if understood by anyone only Thia although seemingly as part of some larger plan. No one had yet clearly worked out what happened in the Terba dungeons but the investigation had begun…

The solstice comes and goes and no one gets Edward a shirt

With the raiders defeated the party where able to return to Valandris and see the effects of their Seeds sown. Zanthon made it back and was able to take charge organising a force to travel north and deter raids, soon minor trade deals where set up and and major deals where established with the Hastings who brought in skilled workers to work the towns produce with this the town begun to be prosperous enough that it begun attracting residents from surrounding villages. With the town functioning and stable the party where able to spend some of wealth they had recently acquired, Moosa wanting to form a mercenary company had Giles produce armour for himself and Rolan each emblazoned with his new device, Rolan also took the skin from the grey render fought outside Sannus and had it made into a standard (that was later added to by Giles). Between teleportation circle and the giant eagle/portable hole combination the trip from Valandris to Avissium and back was compared to walking preposterously fast so soon the group where making semi-regular visits back to catchupwitholdfriends especially Zorias who was tasked with improving Moosa’s armour and hand crossbows, Rolan’s armour, new swords and battle (standing) standard and a stockpile of reagents and components that Margret and/or Thia could cast work on a permanent teleportation circle in Valendris. The trips did also provide an opportunity for Thia to personally recruit a paper maker and an alchemist in the hope that they would be useful and not to much like old Thaddius.

As long as they where living in Valendris the party took different roles within the town, Thia lived and worked in the magic academy that Margret had almost accidentally ended up running teaching what she had learnt about “field magic”, she did briefly flirt with the idea of building her own attached tower but decided she would save her efforts for the “Deep woods”. Rolan found that he had (more or less) inspired a hunting lodge but rather than working as part of that he used summoned beasts to tunnel an underground home on the outskirts of town, Mara simply claimed a existing house and set it up with the usual amenities such as noisemaker traps and a poisoners lab, Moosa for his part slept in a broken castle tower until it begun being repaired, he did make plans to build a large reinforced wall but gave up for financial reasons.

Between building, Avissium trips and the northern anti-raid expedition things remained relatively stable, Thia learnt some Estarian and Mara learnt some elvish, Mara had regular breakfasts with Ferri to practice Estarian, Thia met with him regularly to discuss theology. Even Edward ended ip joining the town when winter came. When year’s end and the solstice came the town gathered outside the tavern and around the (suspiciously rapidly) growing apple tree in celebration and an exchange of custom built and magically enchanted gifts, Mara gave Zan axes and he gave her a quiver ( heh ) Thia teleported to Avissium and exchanged a custom rapier for some wine in a showing of how far Thia had come not as alarming as when she took Vancill to Valandris via eagle.

On a cool Elgara winters morning Zorias arrived in town and failed to remain inconspicuous. Strange as it was to see him so far from his store he offered no explanation but asking to see the building the party had promised him. This was strange not as pressing as the opportunity for profit. Thia had come to the party with a job, one to be done in Estaria, the party had surprisingly little questions about where the task came from but did find out that payment came in the form of “they’ll be something valuable there, I’l know it when I see it” at this point this was enough and so through to the magic ( safehouse?sanctum? ) to spend the night before setting off in the morning.

In Estaria’s Terba valley the party sourced horses and directions form a nearby village and begun the journey to Terba castle so that they could get Thia to the castles dungeon where she could……….. do… something.
The party where now in Estaria, Rolan didn’t know the language and Thia couldn’t openly use magic. The party where about to break into a castle, what could go wrong?…

The party check on Valandris

Storm’s end had come and the party returned to Sannus in celebration with Thia and Moosa jumping fully into celebration and carousing, Mara operated more restrained, Rolan and Howling Under The Two Moons actually left the city to spend time in the forest instead (Mark left the group as soon as they hit land). In the morning the group gathered to discuss their next move and after lengthy discussion they decided to leave the Leaf on the wind in Zanthon’s care and teleport to Avissium (stopping only long enough to purchase health potions, incense and pork) before eagle/walking to Valandris.

Valandris had been doing what it could to establish itself in the party’s absence, Griffolk had apparently been leading while Zanthon was gone, Margret was running something of a small magic academy featuring lectures from unusual sources, the elf Alaina had founded a hunting lodge following on from when Rolan would take those who could out to hunt and the “Ear to the ground” had become a functioning tavern/drug den at the centre of town. Moosa spoke with Giles and was able finally to delver the plans he had, he was also able to visit Ferri and see that the Estarian chapel had been built, Ferri’s reputation had improved when raids increased the need for a healer. Mara checked on Edward who had built a small abode outside the town but had otherwise progressed little.

Before long Hasting men arrived to set up their own storehouse and prepare Hastings plans for the Valandris product soon they would set up production to turn in into various products, the party planned to wait for Zanthon to arrive and finally return to running the town. Valandris was close to becoming self sufficient, so long as raids where kept at bay trade would soon be established that could then attract those needed to convert the harvest into usable product, castle walls or not it would soon be a functioning town…

The party save Sannus

The party had Followed the vowel to exit and found a library/laboratory devoid of life but full of items of interest to one magically inclined as well as of course gold. The group stopped to grab some potions, books and scrolls (and yes all the gold/gems) but had things to do and so where soon off to Sannus to address its pirate problem.

Eagles made to trip preposterously short so it was not long before the party where back at “The captain’s respite” to meet up with Zanthon. While Zan was told about reinforcements hired from the Hastings, Mara and Thia had the not unfamiliar feeling of being watched, investigating the man watching them from the other side of the bar they realised that this was none other than Mark Valor. Mark was told tales of the groups wild and unlikely adventures but had little explanation himself for why he was back in town and indeed watching from the shadows. There was a some time before the hired reinforcements could arrive and in that time was a chance for Zanthon to meet a representative of the sea elves, and in the time before the representative arrived was a chance for Thia to summon and lose control of a water elemental and almost drown.

Eventually all had arrived and planing could begin, Mara had even convinced Tilo Viera and the “Glorious expedition” to join. Planning itself turned out fairly straightforward if not vague, catapults where built and pitch was gathered there was even time for the whole room to listen to Thia’s outburst about the state of Mara and Zanthon’s relationship. And so of sailed the party, most of them on Tilo’s “Stormkiller” with one of the hired wizards and Mara joining Zanthon on the borrowed “Lady’s favour”. Avoiding patrols the small fleet made it to the barrier storm surrounding the raider’s island, Zanthon used a sea elf horn to call for aid and watched as a wall of water begun to rise from within the storm before rolling over and forming an immense tunnel through the storm big enough for the fleet to reach the island, an so it begun.

The Kervallion ships lined up at the beach and as lightning continued to strike at them catapults and mercenaries landed. Thia drank a potion and took to the sky raining pitch and fire, Mara snuck around targeting the stormcallers while Moosa, Rolan and Howling Under The Two Moons ran in sword (and claw) first. Something about one of the academy mages set Mark off somehow and so as the battle begun he took the opportunity to attack unnoticed making short work of the surprised wizard. Summoned insects swarmed from the trees around and attacked the enemy casters, those who lived where picked off by Mara and Mark, Rolan, Howling and Moosa pushed back the main warriors whose communication with their leadership was cut off thanks to Thia.

The warriors on the beach retreated up the hill towards their main camp, the Kervallion forces followed and while Thia saw that the camp was fortified as a second front Moosa and Zanthon where not able to warn their forces in time to stop them from running disorganised into the fortifications. Thia identified something of a leader and magically forced dark and terrible thoughts into his mind, Moosa and Zanthon gathered a unit each to attempt to flank such efforts where extremely effective when combined with assistance from the two remaining academy mages and a giant elk which suddenly arrived and charged. The camp had more stormcallers but they found themselves targeted swiftly from stealth the same as their fellows on the beach had. Just when most had fallen and the battle seemed to be winding down a horn was heard and more warriors charged from a flaming tent with glowing eyes and suicidal confidence. As battle raged on the ground and fire rained from above mara was able to gather that this force had served as a distraction for the raiders leader to escape but as the leader fled the battle was won.

With the battle concluded the camp was searched Zanthon negotiated the dividing of the spoils and Mara released prisoners taken from costal villages, Thia questioned Mark on killing the mage. Mark said that there was just something about him suspicious and familiar, and that when he died his eyes had mysteriously melted from their sockets, Moosa admitted that he was alerted to Marks intentions and had suggested that it might not be noticed if he where not to survive that battle, but admitted that Marks timing was problematic. Thia and Moosa tracked down the corpse and found his eyes intact, protecting their friend they gave the body axe wounds and destroyed the top of its head.

With the raiders seemingly dealt with and the sahuagin having apparently been kept at bay with sea elf assistance that party where free to return finally to Valandris the sail back to Sannus having only one interruption, a lone Sahuagin bearing a message from Sally Sharkguts claiming that if they where interested she had the leader of the Raiders…

An Estarian Indicated Offensive Uses

Entering thought the teleportation circle to Destination parts unknown the party at last tracked down Thia Nailo. There was a library, not some old imperial site destroyed with time but a pristine library full of books. It seemed that Thia had been in this room the whole time without even realising how long she had been gone. With no obvious danger Mara sat down to help while the rest searched/rested. The books seemed to contain clues about dangers beyond/arcane knowledge but it was difficult to uncover, books made references that reached across the library, meanings would be uncovered that required rereading back through, clues where found in the room that might have further implications. Howling Under The Two Moons woke those who where sleeping and tried to pull books from hands, given the chance Thia was able to pry herself away and join Moosa at a door he was investigating. Thia gradually realised that while everything seemed important at the time and the feeling that she was close to a breakthrough, looking back she couldn’t remember a single piece of relevant information.

Thia and Moosa entered a room primary defined by a large hourglass on the back wall which flipped over as they entered the room and the door sealed behind them. On the walls where leavers three with marks symbolizing schools of magic (conjuration, illusion and abjuration) and three more on the other wall showing 1, 2 and U. There was also a leaver that reset the hourglass and the other leavers. While Rolan and T.B.H. tried to break down the door to no avail Thia and Moosa worked through every solution they could come up with periodically reseting when they could. After much time with no success they decided to let the hourglass run out, when it did a sigiled rod fell out and the door opened.

The second door featured a series of disks suspended from the ceiling by chains above a pool of boiling mud with occasional geysers. Mara was at one point knocked off but was saved by Rolan and the two made it across to another rod. The third room had a clearly visible third rod on a pedestal, the entirety of the rest of the room was covered un unknown sigils and circles, Rolan walked into the room, took the rod and left without consequence.

The three rods fit into indents in a wall to form a magic door leading to a new room. The new room featured three numbered doors (1, 2 and 3) on the floor was text
“Follow the vowel to exit”
Thinking that the vowel in follow was O and the number one begins with O Thia entered the first door where she found three slaadi.
Rather than grey or red these where blue and green, the green threw a fireball injuring (most) of the party. Those hit by the blue Slaad claws often found themselves infected with chaos phage and found themselves unable to recover from injury, Thia found herself unconscious and unable to recover until she was dragged away by Tavis and he used his one Elixir of health. While the fight seemed dire Thia returned and leveled a psychic attack on the remaining slaad. Eventually with some difficulty the party won.

Most of the party where now infected and so decided to return to Avissium. At considerable cost Moosa purchased the required elixirs. Before they went to rest Mara and Thia stopped of to see Erin Hastings and further negotiate business with Valendris (to mixed success.

Teleporting back the group looked to reassess the puzzle briefly before Rolan played the odds and entered the third door (It was not a good door). Investigating further it was noticed that the word “Follow” was more heavily indented and that the first two letters where somewhat worn as if touched by many hands. Eventually the party entered the second door. The new room featured three numbered doors (1, 2 and 3) on the floor was text
“Follow the vowel to exit”
Investigating further it was noticed that the word “the” was more heavily indented and that the letters where somewhat worn as if touched by many hands.
The party followed the vowel to exit.

The sequence ended at a furnished abode floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lined the walls, everburning torches illuminated the room, and cushioned chairs and tables provided comfortable places to read. There was a complete alchemists lab, a large balcony and a door to where the treasure lay. Looking of the balcony to a decidedly non Kervallion landscape the party wondered what they might achieve with a horde of gold, platinum and gems…

The party seek out the worst that could happen

Moosa had spent his time apart Buying new friends, the rest spent their time apart fighting the terrors of the deep, with the party back together it was time to return to the capital in search of allies and standing staves. Given the party’s masterful diplomacy it would be prudent to restock health potions and so to Zorias’ they went. Among the purchases was burning oil and exploding stones for Rolan, as well as two specific commissions, one to have Thia’s aquatically acquired arcane focus enchanted with the “Zorias special” the other a years worth of components suitable for the spell “teleportation circle” surely to only be put to good use.

Moosa wanted to visit Joanna Zahn and give her a gift, on the suggestion of Mara this ended up being a pair of songbirds. Over lunch Moosa, Mara and Joanna discussed the state of the Zahn business and the Zahn’s partnership with the Hastings. After a stop of wherein Rolan purchased an engagement ring(?) there was a visit to Erin Hastings herself. Rolan, Mara and Howling Under The Two Moons came along but immediately made excuses and left Moosa alone with Erin, he took the opportunity to tell her that he was afraid of her and saw her as a “force of nature”. When Mara returned she begun setting up a deal where Valandris would sell its “produce” to her and it would become rope and other products possible further exported by Tilo Viera.

Day turned to night and the party (mostly) regathered, Moosa’s hirelings had been sent out to explore the city and where now asked to map their experiences and they more or less succeeded. When Thia failed to appear Mara took a trip to Vancill’s to see if and how she might be “otherwise engaged” he however hadn’t seen her since that morning. The last Thia had said about her plans had included Zorias’ and “The Grand Academy” and so to the academy Mara went “of corse i’m allowed her how else would I have gotten in?”. Investigating the library Mara found a magical sigil drawn on the floor and someone reasserting nearby, it seemed that Thia had found a example drawing of a teleportation circle in a book and decided to see if it actually connected, it did so Thia promptly jumped in knowing nothing of where it led. Mara gathered the party and asked the mage to recast the spell before leading them on to parts unknown…

The party kill weird stuff on instinct now

With somewhat Sunken hopesRolan, Thia, Mara and Howling Under The Two Moons returned to Sanuus to catch up with Moosa who it seemed had made some new friends. Tavis, Hallan and Berem, mercenaries apparently hired by Moosa to come along from now on. Back in a town Moosa ran through his usual ritual of ordering a strange commission (boat wheels) and hunting with Rolan and Howling under the two moons, on this particular hunt they saw signs of a large creature having moved through the area and decided to investigate. What they found was a large bipedal grey beast eating deer. Rolan conjured a giant elk and ambushed the creature slaying it before it could flee. Thia and Mara had heard signs of battle through their earrings and so arrived soon after and decided to investigate a nearby cave likely the beasts destination. Inside Thia found a tree and a woman who based on the green skin and home was likely fey, upon hearing of the creatures death the woman seemed shocked and confused that it would attack without provocation. With little to add the Nailós left the woman and set about harvesting the creature for its hide, claws and blood.

Zanthon had organised the beginning of a merchant/mercenary militia and had taken three ships to respond to raids on costal villages, the day after the party arrived in Sannus he returned with two. Zan was able to tell the party of fighting raiders and dodging lightning, the party where able to tell him of Toads and turtles. Rolan denied the party the benefit of his political insights by leaving to challenge Tilo Viera to a game of strategy and wit, when he begun loosing he attacked and fled. When Mara heard of this she left the Zan conversation to make sure her plans for Tilo remained intact leaving Thia and Moosa to hear Zan’s suggestion that Thia convince “The Grand Academy” to render assistance, she was a student there right? she could talk to them surely.

Just as night fell the prince’s allies brought their (more or less) Estarian mercenaries through a magic circle to arrive in Avissium’s Grand Academy. Moosa and Rolan would bring the mercs to Zorias’ for crossbows, potions and standing staves leaving Thia to convince the Academy mages to help fight raiders, what could go wrong…

The party visits the Trench

The party found themselves underwater encountering Elves that aren’t elves Toads that aren’t toads and traveling down towards the city of the aquatic elves. The city was only referred to as the city because to the residents it was the City. Here the party found a palace and having entered every previous palace they had encountered it seemed only natural to take a tour, the tour included the banquet hall and the kelp fields but the party’s attention was most captured by the open air gardens. The open air gardens where as the name suggested not submerged in water as the rest of the city was but open air under a glass dome and sunlight(?). The gardens gave the party to collect themselves before petitioning for aid against the storm raiders with Mara and Thia taking local clothing before any meeting. Meeting with Andorel (the aged woman who said little in this meeting but seemed to be ok with the party having heard of sahuagin slaying), a cloaked individual (who said nothing) and Masibo (who seemed to actually speak for The City) the party proposed trade between the sea elves and Kervallion and of course assistance against the storm raiders. Negotiations seemed to be going about as well as could be expected when Masibo proposed the “traditional trial” claiming that no deal could be concluded before the party’s commitment was proven.

It turned out that the traditional trial was a somewhat archaic ritual involving bringing back a trophy from “The Trench”, The trench turned out to be a great chasm loading down into darkness seemingly endlessly, by the time the party stopped at a wall cave they could no longer see the top, the cave became a long tunnel of jagged rock which eventually led up to an open air cavern. This cavern proved to be occupied, inside was a sea elf apparently stuck in the cave to afraid to go forward or back. Friendly reasonable folk that the party where they took him along moving forward in search of something to kill, besides Thia and Mara had already suspected that this trip was secretly for them to rescue someone.

The group moved to a large open and pitch black expanse of in the distance a feint blue glow could be seen investigating further it proved to be a small amount of coral unusual placed and isolated, looking ahead another patch could be seen, the third light moved slightly bobbing up and down, Rolan threw his magically illuminated trident at the light and revealed the creature waiting for them.

Things begun badly and Thia was swallowed whole by the beast and things seemed bad… that was until there was a flash of light, a muted explosion and Thia was regurgitated. Injured the beast could not stand up to Rolan and Howling Under The Two Moons. When the beast died the sea elf they had befriended crawled from its gullet, they hadn’t seen him swallowed that couldn’t mean anything right? probably it was just stealthy.

On the way back their companion continued to be “squirrely”, eventually he made one reference to many to things he shouldn’t know and when confronted attacked. Thia and Rolan when attacked bled a sticky black ooze and Rolan found himself somewhat impaled, but in the end their foe was defeated and when dead reverted into a almost familiar black toad creature.

Returning to the city with angler teeth and toad corpse the underwater leadership agreed to speak with prince Zanthon to negotiate further. The group retired to the gardens and after a barrel bath met with the cloaked figure from the meetings Afeir of the water druids. Afeir claimed to be a friend of Longwood and by extension the party, he had some interest in the toad creatures (Slaads) and claimed they worked for the same forces as the Sahuagin. Thia tried to draw a connection between the rune scarred raiders and the biologically warped sahuagin but Afeir claimed no knowledge of the raiders, he did have two gifts for the party however a bowl and a spell.

Back in a Kerallion forest the party begun the trip back to Sannus it seemed that the sea elves could soon be allies but who knew what could have happened in their absence and what the raiders would do next…

The party rescue dragon turtle eggs

The party found themselves in an underwater sahuagin temple fighting Toads and turtles. Having defeated the warped dragon turtle hatchling the group erected a magic dome to block the entrance and give them a safe place to rest and recover before moving deeper into the temple. By the time the party did move onward they knew that their presence must be known, despite this with magic items and Rolan’s spells they where able to get the drop on what turned out to be one last sahuagin priestess clearly altered in a manor similar to the previous priestess and the dragon turtle, guarding the priestess where two large red “toadlike” creatures vaguely similar to the creature they had seen previously. Attacking together from stealth the party won with minimal injury and where thus able to claim the treasure stored in the priestess’s room.

At what turned out to be the back end of the temple was another underwater reef section containing sharks, unresponsive sahuagin and dragon turtle eggs. It was shortly after the sharks where defeated that small creatures burrowed out of the sahuagin’s chests swam up to the eggs and begun trying to burrow into them. Here to save the eggs the party begun attacked the foot long tadpole like creatures and had them dead before any more than one egg was destroyed.

Before leaving the group did investigate a side room which turned out to be the “temple” part of the sahuagin temple. Thia’s standing stave was destroyed by the trapped door, the contents of the room where destroyed by Rolan and Moosa. Rolan and Moosa bled into a pool until a statue and chest appeared out of it. Collecting the treasure of the temple the party had gold, gems and a crown to aid their mildly dire financial situation there was also the cloak styled after a manta ray that aided the user in swimming effectively and granted knowledge of the sahuagin language as well as the trident “Obedience” that could be used to command creatures of the sea, both went to Mara.

Returning to the “Leaf on the wind” the next stem would be a meeting with the sea elves, Moosa decided that someone should return to Sanuus to make sure efforts there where progressing and so once again left the party taking the ship with him. The rest druided to an forgotten island where Oron lived. Oron was an elf and it seemed not one of the bluegreen sea elves like Corselle, still he invited the party back to his small house, offered refreshments and asked their story, Oron (who was it seemed at least aquatinted with Longwood ) claimed to behind their goals but suggest that it wasn’t his decision. At the conclusion of the conversation they where asked to wait on the beach and “look west”.

Along with Corselle the party waited on the beach with a small table of ale, looking to the west they saw buildings rise up from the water, almost a whole town with some sort of ground beneath. Along with the buildings came people, more like Corselle like elves but not quite they gathered on either side of the “road” and watched the party as they walked to a prominent tower. Sitting on a throne of coral(?) was Andorel who demanded that each person present introduce themselves and…
When told about the raiders Andorel questioned what business it was of hers, as Thia and Mara where beginning to think that they wouldn’t get anything from this Corselle told of the partiy’s efforts to save the dragon turtle eggs and ruin the Sahuagin temple, this seemed to have an effect as Andorel immediately offered wine(?) to the group and the whole structure begun to sink.

The Sahuagin had been dealt with ( for now ) but to deal with the storm raiders the party suspected they would need druid assistance, in the end one question remained, Where these sea elves or water druids ant whats the difference?…

The party enter the Sahuahin temple

The party took a Leaf on the wind out to sea and swam down underwater to attack a sahuagin temple.

The party took a rest inside the underwater form of the usual dome to recover a little before what was sure to be more fighting. Fighting came when the party emerged onto a beach occupied by a sahuagin priestess who shortly after combat begun caused the water itself to rise up and attack the party (not that it stopped the party from cutting her down). The priestess was guarding an altar and serpent head carvings, some of the serpent heads held pearls carved with a crude shark tooth symbol and matching that up to one they had already and one formally in the priestess’s possession the party had a fairly clear idea of what to do, under the altar was a chest of offerings which amongst the gold and items that would be exchanged for gold was a magical pearl that was given to Rolan that he might cast more spells in a day. Two sahuagin barons and a huge shark guarded the last marked pearl… then they didn’t.

The mechanism opened the gate to the temple proper, before entering the party met another aquatic elf, Drake the younger brother of Corselle he was able to recognize that if they where swimming, breathing and talking underwater they had probably met his sister, Drake would contact his sister while the party fought the greatsword wielding sahuagin in the next room. The party traveled up stairs into the open air of the temple where they where met with a fireball. In the resulting conflict Mara claimed to hear a voice in her mind encouraging her to further violence, a claim not addressed by the rest. The “sahuagin” when attacked bled something of a black sludge and when it died its form reverted to that of a large black load like creature.

With that fight concluded Corselle and Drake caught up and warned the party that they should take a second to rest before continuing, and indeed the group did take a short break. Moving further into the temple the party entered a large room with a pool of water in its centre in the pool was a turtle(?) perhaps twenty five feet long with a large spiked shell, six eyes on each side of its head and the capability to produce a blast of burning steam from its mouth deadly enough to render Thia unconscious. Mara dragged Thia back to Corselle as Rolan, Moosa and Howling Under The Two Moons engaged the creature. Moosa hoped to acrobatically evade he creatures strikes but found that the ground had warped it became soft and difficult to move through. Rolan slashed his sword(?) causing fish to fall from the creatures mouth, Howling bit and Mara shot. A revived thia transported herself on top of the beast’s back and hurled fire, it did not survive Moosa’s subsequent shots.

The party where investigating stolen Dragon Turtle eggs and this was clearly a Dragon turtle hatchling but it had somehow become warped and corrupted. Behind was an unidentified toad creature ahead was no doubt more Sahuagin. the path ahead was dangerous but would hopefully gain the assistance of the aquatic druids against the storm raiders, or you know at least lead to some gold…

The party go shark hunting

Seeking to save The sea without sails the party hoped to find druids of the sea, to this end they left Zanthon behind to travel to a costal section of forest looking for caves or any thing else that might house aquatic druids. What the group did find was one of Longwood’s forest druids with a message suggesting Rolan simply head out to sea and display nature magic, this druid despite not actually seeming to like Rolan grew a boat out of the ground for the party to use. From the ground a (tree?) grew out into to the clear shape of a boat with a large leaf sail, a small but usable vessel. A couple of days out to sea summoned birds reported errant water movement, upon investigation the movement stopped so Rolan jumped into the water where he encountered a blue-green finned elf, this elf (Corselle) magically granted the ability to breathe and speak underwater. Rolan decided to alert the rest of the group to this by having giant summoned octopi drag them off the ship and into the water. Moosa and Mara found themselves unexpectedly attacked by giant octopi, Moosa escaped their grasp, Mara was less successful and found herself suddenly underwater and restrained by tentacles. Eventually Rolan dismissed the octopi allowing Mara to retreat to the surface.

While Rolan had acted questionably he did have some druid connection and the group was friendly from then on so Corselle told them of her problem. Then Rehierail (Sahuagin) had stolen Dserul disdra (Dragon turtle) eggs for unknown reasons and taken them to an underwater temple, one guarded enough that she could use the help of a motley team of killers. The whole party was given the ability to breathe underwater and swim at a decent pace despite Moosa’s armour and so they travelled down to the wreck of the “Fairmorning” where they encountered hostile Sahuagin and sharks. Fighting their way through the Fairmorning (and picking up a locked sunken box along the way) the party where able to enter into the reef caves surrounding the Sahuagin temple. Working their way through the reefs the group next ambushed a duo of Sahuagin drawing the ire of a huge shark which would have been a problem had it not been restrained by octopi. These particular individuals guarded an almost fist sized pearl with a crude shark tooth symbol carved on it. In imperfect condition from the two fights the party decided to take a brief rest…

The party finds storms brewing

The party picked up Court Zan and took him to Sannus so he could look into his missing crew, the first stop in Sannus however would not be a bar or a ship but a temple as all but Rolan had contracted a disease that threatened to blind them. The priest whom the party had met previously was (despite Thia’s thoughts on Estarian healing) able to cure their affliction for which the party offered not insignificant donations and saliva, sight restored the group could go find out the word about town. Thia investigated what she could be paid for unusual corpses and Rolan got a paid tour of possible futures, Mara, Moosa and Zan focused more successfully on the issue at hand and where able to find some relevant information. Scheduled ships had failed to arrive in Sannus for some time often as unexpected storms appeared the first one noticed being a merchant ship the “Fairmorning” around four months previous, by this point almost no ship entered or left Sannus leading to the city posting a bounty on the issues resolution. Zan’s crew and ship now numbered among the missing so the party contacted the one merchant still operating to and from Sannus Tilo Viera. To charter the “Glorious Expedition” specifically seeking danger and adventure the party where charged 500 gold a head (half for the “dog”).

A few days out at sea alongside Tilo’s captain Corsa Vell and storms where spotted on the horizon, violent thunderstorms that moved swiftly enough that by nightfall it was upon them. Sensing danger Mara, Moosa and Rolan looked down in the water for submerged threats, Thia look up to see if there was a pattern to the lighting, Zan looked out to sea and so was the one that saw the ship rapidly approaching with a pointed metal ram. The ships collided and the Glorious Expedition was left with a large hole in its side as warriors boarded. One foe was unarmored and stayed on their ship seemingly exerting some control over the lightning, that is until he was struck with a poisoned arrow and mental horrors. As the battle raged actions had to be taken to stop the ship from sinking, Zan spent most of the battle below decks working on the problem, Rolan was able to manifest two giant octopi who helped pull the ship out of its tilt and Thia created a resilient globe to block the hole until Rolan could create vines to help hold the ship together. By the end of the fight itself none of the party had successfully died and their foes had leaving behind a small and ship with ors and a iron ram.

Negotiating with Tilo the group arranged transport to the island once home to local raiders now suspected to be used by (storm warriors?, chainmail reavers?, Rune sailors?) this new foe. Using the raming ship (now dubbed the “stormkiller”) under cover of night and magic the party scouted the island. There where seven more of the ramming ships on the beach alongside at least thirty men the camp further in seemed to contain seventy or more and no obvious prisoners, soon the party gave up on fully taking the island. There was another plan however, Rolan called for four giant owls so the party might attack the ships and flee. While the rest show arrows and bolts from (owlback?) Thia rained fire on the unusual ships calling for a retreat as soon as the islanders begun to organise, the party flew (then sailed) away as ships burned and storms grew.

This done the party safely back in Sannus able to tell toe town something of who their foe was, Tilo kept the Stormkiller but paid the group for the effort. This new foe had been inconvenienced but was far from finished it would take more than just the party to take the island and drive them off, with Kervallion lacking a real navy and its armies indisposed the group turned their attentions to the druids…

Rolan receives sterling service

Stepping away from"successful" Measured foreign diplomacy the party traveled through Thia’s new teleportation circle spell, a somewhat unpleasant process involving becoming uncomfortably aware of all aspects of oneself. The spell deposited the party in a forgotten corner of Avissium’s Grand Academy, and after signing in with a flummoxed young mage they where back in the big city and able to reconnectwith their allies. Back in their own house the group took the time to search the dead wizard they had decided to take with them and indeed finding a potion of invisibility, some small amount of coin and shoes that would let the user (now Mara) to walk up walls and ceilings. In the morning the party visited Zorias’s, Zorias himself (who was apparently selling hash now) greeted them with a warm “Welcome to Zorais’s and .. What the fuck!? What the fuck is that?!” upon seeing Rolan and his new arm, it turns out that Moosa had been conspiring with the rest of the party as well as Giles and Zorias to have a new arm made. Moosa had Giles make and Zorias enchant (and retrofit for function) a silver arm in reference to a peace of elvish mythology. Zorias was given the “brass” arm, the first golden marble and some semi-identified potions, the party where given the silver arm and a debt to pay. The next stop was Vigo who they informed of their adventures in Asangis and it was from Vigo that they heard that Zanthon’s old crew had gone missing, the party where asked what they where going to do and they said that they would pick up Zan and then either go get his crew or approach the Silverthorns. Vigo spoke to Mara alone afterwards, told her what Zan would need and provided a little coin.

Rolan summoned eagles and the party arrived back in Ormest to find that Zanthon had moved from the tavern to a nicer apartment, it seemed that in the time the party had been gone Zan had tried to find what worked at court and so was bourn “court Zan” with a trimmed beard and more conservative clothing, upon hearing about his crew “court Zan” rather than rushing off considered if he should continue courting nobles until Moosa spoke to him about taking “court Zan” as early another weapon in the arsenal and the need to take charge. While in town Mara took Thia to visit Jane Stormwind. Mara wore traveling gear with jewelry raided from Jane’s stash in Avissium, Thia was instructed to wear the garish Zargosian and clearly wizard robes. Rolan had brought a mouse from Avissium. Mara had Thia mention Tilo Viera as a rich merchant who had proposed before she refused. Rolan wanted somewhere better to store his mouse (Reg). Thia told tales of the party’s wild adventures. Moosa knew a method involving melting the ends of bottles. Jane found out that Mara had been traveling with the prince. Moosa and Rolan made a mouse house.

In the morning the party gathered Zan had purchased new longswords and a breastplate and the party took the eagles in the direction of Sannus. An unfortunate side effect of some of the foraging the party had partaken in was that all but rolan begun bleeding from the eyes and slowly going blind. The only major stop before Sannus was at Iron pass so that Moosa could check on the gold mine side business and was able to extort politely ask for a small cut of the profits.

Soon enough a mostly blind party arrived in Sannus looking for a cure and hopefully after Zan’s old crew. The waters outside Sannus besides the hag, sharks and fish men where beset by pirates and raiders but you know how bad could they be…

The party eat out in Asangis

Emerging from Imperial vault 2 Pewter into a small pond, the party found themselves not far from a small Asangan village where they could clean up and recover. Moosa was able to make a good enough impression on the locals to secure a meal for the night and a place to sleep (and to mess with unidentified magical artifacts). One of the artifacts (a “brass” device of rings and spikes) when applied “correctly” to rolan formed into a metal arm to replace the lost one that he was able to (more or less) control, the other find (a metal skull) seemed to be able to record and recount information ( a feature that will clearly only be used for good ). Just out of town Thia was directed to the cave of Pentagast Davion formally of the Grand Academy out working on proving his theories and ready to explain them at length to any strangers who come by with questions and time on their hands. Pentagast’s theories pertained to another realm from which “the creatures of nature invaded”, it was his belief that there where pla

It was a sunny and pleasant Thursday marred only by a strange little man who refused to answer simple questions. The birds where singing (although no more than usual) and the wolves where hunting (only slightly less than usual because of some strange scents in the area). Inda the brave and powerful encountered a strange trio wandering her forest, they where named Stephen Rolan, Mara and Zan (although Mara and Zan seemed unsure as to which was which). Rolan was a friend of Longwood except he didn’t speak druidic which was weird but not really Inda’s business, he also had a metal arm but he didn’t want to talk about it, creepy bush guy said he got it from an old ruin but thats kinda boring so he probably stole it from the lair of the great dragon Graglethrax who has sworn revenge and will hunt his group seeking revenge. Surely his group will be killed without the assistance of a great and powerful druid.

Mara, Rolan and Zanthon made it back to the party having had to deal with a pushy druid and the group considered its next move. Lengthy discussion ended with Zan’s plan to return to Ormest to attend the ball set up fro him while the rest of the group traveled on to deal with the assassination plot against the Asangan monarch. As Zan traveled back east Rolan, Thia, Moosa and Mara marched boldly west, arriving in town Mara encountered a message informing her that there where two assassins one an infiltrator and one a mage known for leaving mess and ruin behind. The king was holding court and feasts in town and so the party planned to attend, Mara as just another minor lady of court, Moosa alongside Edér a fellow mercenary and the Nailòs entered with stealth and hid in shadows above. Thia detected magic on two likely suspects one a serving girl and one a very minor guest, Mara distracted the server acting the drug using party guest, opening an opportunity for Thia to dispel the illusions making the leather clad and armed man looking like another serving girl. It was after the first assassin was dragged away that bonfire present began growing and the fire “stepped” off its position and “walked” forward as a large vaguely humanoid shape formed out of flame. The spectacle was impressive for the half minute it lasted until Thia from her stealth position dispelled it (leading the regular guests to assume it entertainment rather than threat). some time passed until the next spectacle, this one took the form a section of the floor itself rising up and pulling itself together into another large vaguely humanoid shape and marching towards the king, this time when Thia dispelled the magic rather than the creature falling apart it simple ceased to be controlled by its master and begun crushing and killing.

As the room panicked and fled Moosa shadowed his suspect alongside Howling Under The Two Moons leaving in the main room only Rolan, Thia, Mara and the angry floor. This was a fight featuring Rolan leaping heroically from a balcony onto the creature, Thia blasting the foe with beams of fire, and Mara being hit directly by large stone fists (and surviving). When Rolan attacked vines, a watery stream and fish ( fish? ) flowed from the creature. In the end no floor monster could stand against such and group and only rubble remained. The actual assassin and creator of the creature however had made it into the room where the VIPs of Asangis had retreated, stone creatures hadn’t stopped this party and neither would a door guard so in they came as well. The party while hard to stop where frequently laking in subtlety and so where soon noticed by their target who responded to their presence by filling the room with magical toxic fog. What followed was confusion, a flash of light and thunder. The fog cleared the mage stood constricted by giant snake with a dagger in his chest, the gathered nobles watched Moosa put a crossbow bolt in each of the mages eyes with little understanding of what was going on. Threat dealt with the party presented themselves to the king.

In a meeting that lacked all the formality and caution a meeting with a foreign king should usually entail the party stated that the assassins where likely sent by Renwick prince regent of Kervallion and that the party where sent by Zanthon Prince of Kervallion “you’ve been keeping up with Kervallion politics right”. The party where allowed to leave safely, Rolan asked for payment and ( somehow ) gained one thousand gold, the party left stopping only to gather some of the unfinished banquet (including the unserved Llamhigyn Y Dwr).

Gathering outside of town Thia was able to make use of a spell passed on to her by Pentagast where she created a circle that would transport them back to Avissium (or Pentagast’s cave) she explained it only lasted six seconds so th…

The party mess with unknown magics

The sleep of the elves ended and the Nailòs woke up. Thia said that she thought the situation was resolved and explained more or less what had happened ( recorded separately ). Thia visited the mage who had given her the ritual ( he apparently had little more to offer ) but otherwise it was time to move on to other matters. Zanthon collected what funds he could from the treasury a number bolstered by an unsolicited unofficial donation. Through the Zahn family Moosa set up a caravan for the party to join on their way to Ormest on their princely tour. While Zanthon, Thia and Mara caravanned to Ormest Rolan and Moosa would eagle to Valandris to deliver the palace funds as well as some seeds that had been purchased from Zorias.

In Ormest Mara and Thia settled in “the Silver Lark” while Zan met with the nobles, purchased new clothes ( yes I saw them ), heard that there would be a ball to commemorate his arrival and moved back the ball to allow time for the rest of the party to catch up. When the others did indeed arrive they where able to get a arial view of a military camp outside of town (no doubt preparing for conflict with nearby Asangis and where able to say that they where not far from a druid site and with it an old imperial ruin Rolan had visited long ago. Having a few days until the ball the party elected to take a day investigating the ruins. The first step was having Rolan lead them to a druidic site seemingly unoccupied. traveling out from the clearing Rolan was able to find the tunnels he had used to make it to the underground ruins apparently formed by large insect creatures, while the tunnels had collapsed in the years since Rolan had found them it was nothing that sixteen giant fey badgers couldn’t fix.

Inside the ruins lay the remnants of the insect creatures and looted rooms, the party searched until the only door was one blocked by furniture that Rolan did not want opened. When the party opened it the smell that came through could’ve killed Edward. The floor of the room had apparently been completely covered with something that died and spent years decomposing, Thia ( For some reason ) bottled the grey liquid that seeped from the room. Through fire, magic items and unusual willpower the party made ti through to the symbol on the far wall, a secret passage openable with the disk obtained from Mark.

Investigating further there was a room filled with beds with strapped down skeletons many of them strangely deformed with secondary ribcages or wings or fully formed bone ears. Also in the room was a cabinet of preserved potions red, yellow and blue, Rolan had found something similar last time but had not fully explored their effects. The next room had many empty boxes and one iron box separated from the rest, predictably Thia opened the box revealing a swarm of flying misshapen creatures. When Moosa attacked some of the creatures dropped to the floor and shifted into a four legged burrowing shape and tried to flee until Thia fireballed the room fully eliminating the creatures from the room ( and possibly the world ) this complete there remained one more room.

Before the party lay three boxes on three pedestals each surrounded by clear sigils and protections. most of the party fled the room as Thia attempted to disarm the protections but with unusual experience messing with strange magic phenomena the spells where safely disarmed without incident. In the boxes where, another golden marble, an unknown brass device id disks and spikes and a brass skull. Mara found a secret exit leading the party up steep stairs and past a magical false ceiling into… a pond.

The party stopped to rest, to identify and to do what they could to clean the smell they carried with them. Rolan ( presumably not wanting Thia to be the only one allowed to almost kill themselves with unknown magical findings ) begun drinking potions. The red fleshed over his cauterised shoulder wound, the yellow at first seemed to be regrowing his arm but simply grew the skin of his arm leaving a hollow arm shaped flesh bag, the blue fleshed over all openings including eyes, ears, nose and mouth. Fortunately Thia was quick enough with a dispel and Mara was quick enough with a knife that he didn’t suffocate. Possibly seeking to reclaim her party role Thia activated the brass device on her belly leading to it stabbing into her and producing a brass tendril which she did manage to gain some control over as Rolan wondered out loud why it wasn’t being used on him and Moosa wandered off.

The secret exit had placed the group out of the forest and they weren’t sure exactly where they had ended up, they did know that in going into the forest they crossed the border into Asangis ostensibly and enemy of Kervallion. There was an assassination plot to stop a ball to attend and magic items to survive, but before that Moosa was about to arrive at a small village with its own problems…

Thia and Rolan take a moment to rest

The party where trying to deal with The first surprise pregnancy of Thia Nailò. Thia had another entity living within her apparently a result of her explorations into Secrets of the Academy it seemed to be growing itself a new body from Thia’a a process that threatened to kill her. To deal with this Thia had obtained a ritual from the Grand Academy that would hopefully allow her to look within herself and confront the entity. The party gathered in the “Murder basement” to set up the ritual, Thia would be the focus but using the communication earrings Rolan would try and assist her leaving Moosa, Mara and Zanthon standing by tasked with dealing with the results should Thia fail.

( well and then I guess something happened )

Rolan awoke claiming that they had confronted the entity before Thia sent Rolan away, then as Rolan prepared to go back to sleep, Thia’s eyes opened…

The party return again to Avissium

Traveling by eagle made the trip from Westdirt to Avissium significantly shorter than it might have been. The party arrived to find that their townhouse had been well maintained by a Zahn agent and they where able to settle back in. The main stop for the trip was a visit to the palace so Zanthon could visit his father and ask his uncle for financial assistance for the town. Renwick claimed that the nations resources was required for an ongoing war, upon (secret) suggestion from the party Zan offered that the prince living in a failing town on the border would be a weak image to present to their enemies, Renwick responded with a small fund to to travel around and appear well off if problems of image where his concern, perhaps he could ask the outer nobles for assistance.

While Zanthon visited his father the rest of the party visited some of their Avissium allies. A visit to Zorias did not offer the solutions Rolan was hoping for as far as regrowing his arm but Mara was able to restyle her communication earring so thats something…Thia asked Zorias to investigate her left arm which had been acting strangely for some time and he was able to point out that it had grown longer then the other, and that it seemed to be growing more than just an arm long term.

Mara was able to meet up with Vigo and catch up on local events and uncertain instructions, Mara learnt that there was a plot to assassinate King David of the nearby petty kingdom Kervallion was at war with an action that would likely quicken Renwick’s victory and spare him resources. Vigo also mentioned that if Valandris needed coin perhaps she could seek a foreign benefactor.

Moosa visited both the Zahn and Hastings estates and caught up with some old allies including a dinner with Erin Hastings where she asked after Estarian mercenary groups and offered to pay Moosa if he could facilitate trade deals with some of the nobles he would soon be encountering.

Visiting the Grand Academy Thia sought the assistance of “An old friend” in Davian Dent who was able to tell her that she was pregnant.. after a fashion, there was a separate entity living inside Thia’s head and it was growing her arm into what might eventually be a whole new body a potentially lethal process for Thia, seeking further assistance Thia was given a ritual that could allow her to retreat into her own mind to confront the entity.

The party gathered to watch the ritual and tried to prepare themselves for the possibility that if things went poorly what woke up might no longer be Thia. using the communication earrings Rolan was able to come along inside Thia’s mind and confront whatever they found there…

The party sow seeds and buy weeds

The party took some time to further work through the process of Getting back u pRolan especially as he had recovered enough to have actually improved at least as far as his magic is concerned, as the town found out when tow oversized eagles arrived to give Rolan and Moosa an air tour of the region. Mark disappeared in the night leaving behind his strange symbol disk and vague mentions of “a lead”. This was soon forgotten as Mara gathered the group to tell them that she had received instructions from Vigo to begin gathering allies for a potential civil war against Prince Regent Renwick. To this end the group begun considering potential allies amongst the nobility. Names brought up included Zahn, Hastings, Cavendish (who Moosa had met on his journey) and Silverthorn. There was some discussion on weather the Nailò’shistory with the Silverthorn’s would be an asset or a problem as plans began to form for the group to tour Kervallion courting nobility.

Before the party could leave with Zanthon they would have to first make sure Valandris was relatively stable, to this end Thia and Moosa left for Eastwater to trade for seaweed and moonshine while Rolan convinced the farmer Jenks to grow seeds obtained from the pain reducing herb Rolan had received from the druids, perhaps this could be a new export for Valandris. Mara took to somewhat secret combat training with Edward paying him in food and relying of Ferri to deal with the subsequent injuries. Moosa’s last errand was to collect his commission from Giles ( guess I better not say what it is or some prick might read ahead ) before the group loaded into the portable hole to be carried by Rolan and Zanthon riding giant eagles.

The first stop was the Cavendish estate former home of the Estarian priest Ferri and stopping point for Moosa on his delivery journey. A change of clothes had been ordered for Zanthon but finding the results distasteful the group instead supplied him with Thia’s glamoured robes to mixed but attention grabbing results. meeting the lord of the estate Tane Cavendish Zan and Mara negotiated for supplies to continue to Valandris and for the promise of military support if it becomes necessary in exchange for promised of assistance becoming mode independent and self sufficient. Negotiations complete for the moment Mara and Zan took a ride around the estate finding a quiet lake where they engaged in activities that imply that they where unaware of the peasant farmers watching.

The Cavendish estate dealt with for now the next step would be a return to Avissium not just to meet nobles but to ask for crown assistance from no other than Renwick himself before continuing to gather support from around Kervallion for what could shape up to be a large and consuming war…

Moosa and Mark arrives, Rolan gets up

…finishing of the somewhat crude fortifications to the crumbled wall section that had been established after the towns Housewarming.

It had been at leat seventy days but Moosa finally returned returned and he did not come alone. Here from Avissium where more recruits for the town (courtesy of the Zahn family), Mary the much talked about wife of Riley, an Estarian (apparently a priest) Ferri and Mark Valor. Mark had apparently worked out his amulet as he claimed to be fully sighted (giving Mark a chance to find out what Griffolk looks like) and although he didn’t mention it seemed to possess some limited magic. The group inevitably moved the the room where Rolan was stored so he and Mark could catch up. Ferri left to give them a moment but was spotted by Mara as he snuck to the river for a quiet drink, her failed attempts to steal his hidden dagger led to an unfortunate (if surprisingly common) misunderstanding. Ferri’s assistance in aiding Rolan was limited (unless one counts alerting Rolan to his missing appendage) he identified that he was poisoned and that the poison lingered in the blood, it was he claimed to strong a poison for him to counter. Thia who already had her doubts about Estarian healing was less than impressed especially as it just led her back to her existing plan of leaching.

Mark (and See’Krett) stayed with Rolan through the process until eventually Rolan was moving again. With assistance Rolan made it to the tavern where he regained strength until the traditional town dinner. Rolan found himself sitting next to Allana with a bottle apparently a gift from Zorias the effe…

Many die but Rolan lives

The party where still recovering from their first efforts to Meet the neighbours. Zanthon war running back to town carrying Moosa (in the portable hole). Mara and Thia where left to transport a fallen Rolan, that is until they had another run in with Edward who offered to look after the body while they left to defend the town. Upon arriving back the group begun moving the population into the castle as a more defensible point. While defences and plans where set up Mara left briefly to give warning to the farmer Jenks and while doing so she saw the raiders looting the town and caravan. An ambush was set up behind a fallen section of wall with Margret, Thia, the Ennith’s academy mages and one of the Avissium colonists who Griffolk recommended.

When the enemy arrived they arrived they arrived in two groups, one attacked cautiously from the front defensively making ranged strikes from cover, the other group attempted to sneak undetected through the fallen section of wall and where allowed to do so, that is until they reached the mages who ambushed with inexperienced and unconfident flame strikes. The raiders responded, the mages fled (those who where not killer or injured) Thia responded with fire of her own which was effective in at least injuring the group. If the raiders had any plans to flee they where soon cast aside as now it seemed that the entrance they had arrived through had been sealed with large rocks. The raiders charged Margret who slipped away so they charged Thia who was being guarded by Griffolk’s recommendation Eggly Riley. Mara intervened with an arrow coated in an unknown agent which upon striking on of the raiders caused him to drop and scream in pain continuously until he was no longer able to do so giving the battle an unnerving soundtrack. further alarming the raiders was when Rolan seemed to suddenly appear between two of them armed and ready to fight. With all this going on the raiders where left in no shape to oppose the party and like so many before died the last of them already burnt was struck with missiles magical and mundane before impalement from a falling halberd. The ranged attackers at the gates ran, the party ran after, Griffolk did so on a horse.

Thia took Mara, Moosa and Eggly to where they had left Rolan only to find him missing, he was eventually tracked down to a basement laboratory where See’Krett was looking him over. Looking at the body the party made four interesting discoveries that there was fresher blood around the mouth that didn’t line up with any of his injuries, that his right arm was all but severed, that his money was gone and that he was breathing.

The town regathered and prepared to rebuild, the guards that been on watch where dealt with, houses where worked on, food and drink where gathered, information was gathered about the monthly supply deliveries apparently coming from some noble estate, Zanthon worked himself half to death only sleeping when physically moved to bed. Margeret and Thia exchanged spells including “slip out”. This whole time Thia was concealing a festering wound and doing an imperfect job of treating it.

A wolf howl was heard outside the castle gate, investigating Moosa found a single wolf apparently seeking entry, he allowed it in and gave it a path to Rolan. haring about this the party gathered. Thia put one of the communication earrings on Rolan and was able to make contact. Rolan was fully paralysed including his eyes being stuck shut his only movement was that he could slightly move what was his right shoulder. much discussion was had about weather Esarian priests would be useful or whether the druids could be contacted.

In the end with large stack of messages for Avissium some personal others about supplies, support or newrecruits Moosa decided that he would leave alone to deliver the messages. And so he party was broken once again Moosa would travel across Kervallion to reach their allies leaving the rest to secure the now town and look after what remained of the true free elf…

Rolan falls to human blades

The party had arrived at Zanthon’s Keep on the borderlands and where trying to rebuild the town. Zanthon managed to get price estimates on rebuilding and reestablishing parts of the town and they where not welcome numbers. Moosa organised a challenge for the guard force wherein teams would search through the towns abandoned buildings searching for a gold pouch (hidden by Mara). The teams also included the mages for Ennnith’s academy who Thia had been trying to organise into a combat force. Rolan meanwhile searched the buildings with what passed for trackers amongst the group and searched the abandoned buildings ahead of the guards mostly peacefully removing squatting animals. While searching Rolan came across a building that seemed to have humans hiding within, gathering the rest of the party he investigated. The humans turned out to be a small family speaking a language the group couldn’t ( at first ) understand and watching them suspiciously sword in hand ( Adair, Sabella, Fabia and Ida ) . Thia was able to magic up something of a solution to the language barrier allowing her to understand the family even if she couldn’t be understood in return. The new guests where taken to the tavern ( such as it was ) for a somewhat strained conversation while Moosa and Griffolk reviewed the ( intermittently dismal ) results.

Every day Rolan would wake before dawn but this particular morning that custom led to a meeting with Edward who warned of approaching foes hoping for financial gratitude. Rolan woke the party, Thia convinced Margret to begin preparing useful spells, and the group set up to ambush a group trying to burn down the tavern. This as with so many of the groups ambushes wend quite well the only strange point being a live fish swimming out of a dying foe Rolan (and two moons) had defeated ( What? ). Mara decided to rush the fish to to the river and while doing so saw a suspicious group drawing water from the same river, investigating further she tracked them back a camp.

Investigating the party found a camp of fifteen armed individuals and came up with an ambush plan involving Moosa, Mara and Zanthon attacking from atop a hill and Rolan, Thia and Howling under the two moons sneaking closer. The party’s stealth was imperfect however and the violence begun more suddenly than expected. Rolan charged the camp but with half the group far up the hill and Thia still hidden he found himself quickly surrounded by at least nine assailants, Rolan was struck down. With almost no one close enough to assist now Thia soon followed. Mara was able to sneak away from her group and try to provide healing to the Nailòs, Thia was recovered from the brink but Rolan did not immediately arise depending on optimism he was either in a very bad way or actually dead, lacking options Thia and Mara applied the paralyzing poison to rolan in hope of preserving him. as they where doing this it fell to Moosa and Zanthon to distract the remaining force and so they ran.

Moosa entered the portable hole and was carried by Zanthon as he ran back to town foes following behind. This left Mara, Thia and Howling under the two moons to carry the possibly dead Rolan back themselves. Any plans or grief regarding Rolan would have to wait as the threat was clearly not done with but if they did indeed survive they would eventually have to confront those who did not…

The party build a town

Sailing away from Sally Sharkguts and deals made the party arrived at a small costal village, from here the party would travel on by land as Zanthon’s ship returned to Sanuus (With news of storm raiders). The area the party moved through was known bandit/raider territory and soon enough they did encounter a potentially hostile group. Setting up an ambush of their own Thia cast a fireball that (somewhat horrifically) dealt with eight out of ten bandits. Of the remaining two, one armoured individual was swiftly dealt with. The other man (Who the party initially took for a mage seeing that he was unarmored) survived a new spell and a double impalement before asking for them to stop “call it a draw”. The man Edward did little to explain his survival and tried to make out that he was nothing more that an “Unemployed bandit” of little interest to the group. As Mara and Thia thought about violently testing Edward’s survivability under extreme circumstances, Moosa tried to recruit him but he seemed mostly uninterested. As the group traveled on Ed seemed to follow distantly behind without actually joining, Moosa left food supplies behind for him and Mara provided him with the groups blanket, Edward left as soon as Valadris came into sight.

In the semi-abandoned town the party found the allies they had sent north trying to settle in. Zanthon visited the castle where he encountered Anthony a seneschal and closest thing to remaining authority. The castle was worn and crumbling in places, the guard where the unwanted of Kervallion’s military people useless or inconvenient, most of the town population was gone, many of the buildings where dilapidated, some of them occupied by animals and there remained only one farmer Jenks who had lived in the area for (he claims) twenty years. Mara found the armoury to be limited containing barely enough for the understaffed guard, what passed for an infirmary was a dark laboratory full of bottles and jars of unknown provenance and the lords hall housed a once gaudy throne clearly striped of value.

The party where quick to begin work, Thia organised the mages to begin clearing and cleaning out buildings, Thia and Zanthon spoke to Jenks about teaching others to farm, Rolan investigated the well (turned out to be a little corpsy) and Moosa begun team building exercises with the guards. The guards where asked if any of them would take over the mill and they refused, Griffolk was asked to take up a leadership position amongst the guard and he said he would consider it. Thia quickly found a tavern and before long she had assembled equipment for a still and dubbed the place “Ear to the ground”. In the town square there was found a headless statue of some human long forgotten, Rolan tore it down with intention of planting apple seeds he had gathered while at sea.

Those who could cook and those who though they could gathered in the castle and tavern to prepare a meal for the strange new community. As night fell what tables remained intact where brought out to the town square along with any stool or chair that could be found (or brought from home) as everyone sat down to eat and drink what could be brought, found or made, a large gathering in a new home (albeit something of a fixer upper) . Zanthon witnessed Rolan’s interest in one of the elvish colonists and his inability to do anything about it, unwilling to lat that situation stand Zan made Rolan drink two ales then took him over to make introductions. As the night went on forcesconspired to give Rolan every chance to look good as improvised and more or less functional music emanated from the mages, by the time people packed up and retired to what sleeping arrangements they could fashion Rolan had almost entirely avoided making things awkward (Rolaning) . Soon enough only the five remained Rolan, Thia, Mara, Moosa and Zanthon they drank a strange drink Thia had discovered that seemed to give visions of serenity on a mountaintop as Zan toasted “good results form shit destinies”

The party had finally arrived and as soon they did they begun (perhaps accidentally) setting themselves up as leaders of a new community they had created, built from Avissium allies and forgotten lands. The still nameless town still had for to come before it was fully functional or safe but only time would tell how long the party would stay…

Moosa is able to wash his hands of the Spider-bear

The party where traveling to Sanuus with Zanthon, Thia had narrowly avoided destroying part of the village at iron pass with A Winter Ball and it was time to travel on. In the dead of winter the mountain passes quickly become dangerous and confusing, fortunately for the party if the re was one thing Rolan was good at it was navigating natural environments, leading the party almost supernatural well as they made it back down the mountain. Past the mountain the path was not as direct as it had been as they avoided what had been the longing camp outside of the city but the trip was relatively safe and soon enough they arrived. Moving openly through Sannus the party did not seem to encounter any assassins yet, what they did encounter was some strange damage to nearby buildings leading back to the guard barracks and prison, hearing reports from locals about strange rampaging monsters the group soon had a clear suspect. Further investigation and a visit to the warden confirmed their suspicions and told of four such creature one dead the others gone along with the other prisoners, this was bad but not actually pressing enough to stop their journey to deal with.

Mara had received from Gaius a bottle of wine to be delivered to a friend of his in town. The wine carried a message and so after Gaius’s friend revealed it Mara snuck back to read it “ZANTHON arriving with strange party. ESTARIANFONDUE”. This not making any immediate sense to Mara or Moosa they decided to ask around other Estarians in town. About the fondue Mara found only a decent deal on cheeses and an encounter with Tilo Viera an Arconan merchant acquaintance she did however hear that many ships had been caught in large, sudden and violent storms, Moosa had a conversation which he decided to interpret as a warning that the fondue reference could refer to a poisoning. To deal with the perceived threat Moosa enlisted the aid of the priest they had rescued previously to see if the food at “The Captain’s Respite” was poisoned (it wasn’t). Spending a little time with the priest did lead Moosa to discard his earring (until Thia recovered it), Rolan while back in town purchased another fortune telling which (if you take it as accurate) was a little more revealing than previous visits.

In the morning the party set off with Zanthon’s ship deciding to travel along the coastline rather than risking the rocky region they had ventured through previously the weather apparently disagreed. The wind blew towards the rocky region and when they tried to adjust the wind and currents seemed to counter, eventually they gave up and headed in that direction. As before there where many sharks, this time the sharks seemed to be (trying) to block certain paths and guide the ship somewhere. Among the more or less impossible structures that made up the region they found a lone apple tree. Rolan saw nothing to worrying about a tree that produced almost perfect apples that regrew on the tree within seconds, Rolan and Thia tried the fruit and found them not dissimilar to goodberries.

The ship arrived at what was eventually a small island with a rocky cave system. At the top there was a large statue likely old-imperial but the face had apparently been changed to a twisted and disfigured form. At first the party wanted Zanton to stay with the ship but he wanted to come along and so he did. moving through the caves the group found traps (which where disarmed), a man with a wide fishlike mouth (who was killed) and at least fifty of the fish men they had fought previously (which where avoided). They did eventually make it to a room packed full of all kinds of things ( many of them rotting fish ) and a filthy ugly old woman presumably the “sea hag”. The creature ( Who was apparently known as “Sally Sharkguts” not that the party knew at the time ) asked what they had done to start the storms, the party asked the same of the hag who responded that that information came at a price, thus the negotiation begun. In the end the deal was relevant, needed information about what was happening at an island apparently involved, safe passage away, and a “Magic sword” in exchange for Thia’s “Staff of Staves” (and its box), and Moosa’s “Claim on the Spider-Bear”. The information gained was that after the party destroyed the raider camp on the island and left the surviving crew there without a ship, another vessel had arrived and settled themselves and that was around the time the storms begun.

While the wording of the deal could be interpreted to only give the group passage out of the cave itself the voyage out of the area was more or less uneventful. Word about the island and the storms would be sent back to Sannus and Avissium when they could, Rolan had a “Magic” sword for better or worse and Moosa had finally disassociated himself with the Spider-bear incident. Whatever the consequences of this would be ( and there would be consequences ) what lay ahead of the party was Zanthons keep there would be time for looking back after but new threats lay ahead…

The first stop of note was a familiar roadside inn they where able to stop for a decent meal, a quiet, drink and a local performance, this particular night that happened to include the Tale of Roland (who found at least four fans that night). As Zanthon left the common room he was met with a “goodnight prince” from much of the room though there seemed to be little to do about it then. While Zanthon was otherwise engaged Rolan paid a visit to “Roland”. After inviting/luring the performer up to his room he threatened him and told him to never again preform that story or “impersonate” him, “Roland” of corse at the time agreed.

Travel continued unimpeded as the party reached the mountains and though the winter conditions and uphill travel begun to wear on them, soon enough they reached the village on Iron pass. As the party enjoyed the respite of a fireplace and some whisky (and water) Moosa learned that the Lord Vontaren had indeed visited but he had learned nothing of the gold mine and dismissed dragon stories as ridiculous superstition. He had left and taken the still paralyzed “Dragon” with him. Moosa gave his local contact a letter and instructIons that would hopefully allow them to start delivering the gold to the Zahn family. After a minor disagreement with a local, the party settled in for a day of rest. Moosa found local companionship as easily as he had previously. Mara engaged Zanthon in a snow based conflict that soon attracted Thia’s attention. Thia produced a large sphere of water which as she rolled it along the snow it begun to gain a layer of ice seeing the danger in this Mara and Zan hid. The activity jostled some roof snow which as it fell on Thia broke her concentration, as her concentration broke the sphere dropped, cracked, bounced slightly and begun to roll. As Zan dove from his hiding place to avoid being crushed Thia transported herself into the sphere’s path and hit it with her usual burning approach, saving the town (from herself).

In the morning more travel awaited it would still be some time before they reached Sannus and then they would have to work out a route to Zanthon’s keep and few could say what they would find when they got there…

The party invites all their friends to live with them in a new town

Now that the Prodigal prince had returned he had to decide what to do with himself, his decision turned out to be accepting an offer from Renwick to take command of the border castle at Valadris. Zanthon’s plan was to travel to Sanuus and pick up some more trusted men from his old crew before traveling on the the castle, he told the party that if they where still with him they could join him (The party for their part gave little consideration to any idea of not joining him). Moosa was on board but had other more complicated ideas of how to proceed. He proposed bringing others along, they would gather volunteers form the deep woods and from Ennith’s academy and invite anyone who was likeable and/or useful enough. Zan for his part was willing to go along with this plan that Moosa seemed so enthusiastic about. Thia wishing to continue their burgeoning relationship invited Vancill to come along. As it was presented as a relatively short trip before returning, Vancill elected to stay in the “Deep Woods” promising to see her when they came back. Vancill was later asked if there was anyone from the deep woods who might consider moving to the border with the idea that Zanthon’s leadership would be better for them that what they could expect in Avissium (The truth was that in that relatively stable period they where essentially living under Vancill’s rule and relatively well off. Vancill’s relationship with the party being what it was however he did convince a reasonable number)

Ennith was asked if there where any in her care who might be interested in joining, she seemed unresponsive to the idea but was convinced eventually. Moosa recruited Giles (and apprentices) with promises of great success as the only blacksmith in town. He also tried to recruit Zorias who was unwilling or unable to move or set up any additional magical connections, he was able to provide a scroll Moosa had ordered that allowed him to communicate with the winter sprites. Speaking to a sprite Moosa asked if they had followed him to far from home and now required him to provide food to which the answer seemed to be no, he did stop short of fully inviting them north.

Thia visited the Grand Academy and apparently on a whim decided to show the strange ring she had acquired to Geoffry Alaton who was in charge of investigating the area the party had uncovered. Geoffry when confronted with a student (elf) who had apparently alongside a some sages leagueperson opened up a long forgotten vault, investigated themselves and in the process kill at least one unidentified creature, destroyed a impossible dimensional portal, donned a strange magical ring that was now exerting some control over he actions and failed to mention this in all the time since it had happened for some reason he reacted poorly. Thia was detained and questioned and her ring was removed. The rest of the group where aware of this through the communication earrings and so gathered outside the academy with Zanthon and VIgo. The staff of the academy soon heard about how much of an outrage it was for these actions to be taken against a personal friend of the prince of Kervallion leading quickly to Geoffry’s embarrassment and Thia’s release. Geoffry was of corse also blamed for loosing the ring in question which had mysteriously gone missing.

Back at their house Rolan took the ring out of his pocket and decided to destroy it and was actually successful leaving him with dust and ring fragments (that would somehow make their way back to Geoffry’s lab). Thia would risk one move visit to The Grand Academy to invite Margret Vint and See’Krett tp their expedition north to Zanthon’s castle. The offer (and explanation of the party’s actions) left Margret uncharacteristically quiet but the two where seen come time to leave.

A caravan had been gathered including Deep Woods elves, Ennith’s students, Margret, See’Krett, Giles, Giles’s apprentices and led by Griffolk. This group would travel to the keep independently while Zanthon and the party went to Sannus to gather some of Zan’s crew and perhaps take a partially aquatic route. Either way the party had committed not just themselves but many of their allies to the promise of what lands Renwick was wiling to give Zanthon. many things lay ahead of them in the new year much of it dangerous some of it impossible and all of it seemingly leading to some inevitable conflict. The party could only hope to ensure as many of their allies survive as possible.

Zanthon officially returns to Avissium

The solstice over the party had to decide what to do about Zanthon but not before getting paid by the Hastings and spending their earnings at Zorias’s. Rolan’s obvious appearance at the Vontaren left the group with the lesser possible payout but it was enough the get Howling Under The Two Moons’s bracers enchanted and additional communication earrings (though for these Zorias would ask not for coin but for an owed favor). The group would again split up with Thia privately conversing with Mara, Rolan preparing freshly hunted game and Moosa making a more official introduction between Zanthon and Joanna Zahn. Eventually the group would regather at the Zahn estate with Joanna and Zanthon to discuss their next move should they make a bold statement or sneak around talking to nobles? Gaius was brought up but Zanthon could attest that Gaius did what was good for Gaius so it was decided that he would not be seriously approached until they were in a clearly advantageous position. Thia couldn’t trust Vigo but wanted to, they considered him something of a wild card and he was someone whose true intentions were not yet clear, in any case the next stop was Vigo’s with Zanthon in tow. Vigo met with the group, met Zanthon and helped lay out their options. The option that seemed to speak most to Vigo was for Zanthon to simply walk back into the palace and announce himself (the prodigal grieving son). Vigo went on ahead so as to not be clearly involved but so he could see the reactions.

With his companions and bodyguards (an Estaarian mercanary, an armed elf with a wolf and a elvish mage wearing Xargosian robes of all things) Zan walked up to the palace and announced himself prince Zanthon of Kervallion seeking an audience with Prince Regent Renwick. The audience with Renwick was somewhat tense and everyone seemed on guard but it was not openly hostile and the assassination attempt the party where waiting for did not yet arrive. Renwick took Zanthon to see Richard and the party where left standing outside the room with some stiff guards. Mara distracted some of the guards (removing some for the moment) and Thia wandered off taking a guard with her. Varlan was around briefly but had little to add but an implied “i’ll be watching you”. Falling back on old tactics Thia begun antagonising her escort calling him racist yelling at anyone around (much of it in elvish) and generally making a scene. This ended only when Gaius arrived and offered to take her away for a quieter conversation. Eventually Zanton finished and the group moved to Zan’s old room to talk, they did also elect to have Thia create the same magical dome from the forest inside the room so they could talk without anyone listening.

The group retuned to the townhouse, Thia begun preparing the results of Rolan’s morning hunt, Rolan himself visited Zorias asking for more earrings only to receive a warning not to use all the ones they had at once and visited Giles to commission a better whip while Mara dealt with all the intrigue and lies and difficulties of meeting up with her parents. There where of corse more important things to deal with as Rolan gave Vancill an invitation to dinner (on behalf of Thia) and it was that dinner that regathered the party again.

Over homemade food and a dizzying variance of alcohol the group where able to stop and take a second, they talked about the wild rumors about where the prince had been, Zan was able to meet Vancill, Mara and Zanthon where given a chance to decompress after parental encounters and the party made one more evening without being assassinated…

The party attends parties

The winter solstice had arrived and the party were Back in town. Most of them woke before dawn and readied themselves to visit Zorias for now Zanthon and Griffolk were left behind but Mark was able to rejoin the group having been able to reactivate the item he had received to cure his blindness (albeit temporarily) . Gathering outside his door as the sun rose Moosa dismissed the elvish guards and the party knocked, it took a few minute of knocking and shouting before a newly awoken mage emerged and invited them in.

Excerpt from
“Standing for something: a wizard/merchant’s tale”
by Zoriastad Samara al-Naslai Kertiriox

…The first solstice i spent in Kervallion I invited that same party to join me in the ritual of corse at that time I never bothered to explain any of it to them not fully anyway, I told myself that I thought everyone knew but I did know enough to protect them somewhat so perhaps thats just an excuse. I suppose then I deserved to be awoken that day by knocking and shouting at my door, so arrived Im sure the strangest group invited to Saenoier Sira’ttirnaea’t La’rlnaeri, an Estarian, elves, Mark (who at least at the time seemed normal enough), and Mara, Mara I didn’t know, someone they had met after leaving the city but I thought “well if they trust her it must be fine” besides she actually seemed relatively normal how much trouble could she cause…
In any case I brought them in, made some vedlyr and tried to ready myself. I brought out the nomdr and they donned them while I finished the ledyos velvsi, I had them remove their magical accoutrements (most of it mine), Thia had a ring that would not be removed and seemed magical and like a fool I simply nullified it same as i had Thia and hoped that would be enough, still I disenchanted the nomdr and brought them in to begin, The velvsi was mostly set up to focus on my position my thinking being that Rolan and Thia would likely wish to retain their magic and that as they where more or less home as far as I knew how much could they need it anyway (this of corse discounted Moosa’s needs).
It was good to see Corinthia a strange reminder of what I had left behind it was less welcome (albeit necessary) to see my parents as a reminder of why I left, and then there was Hera…
…I don’t know what the rest saw exactly although I have a few good guesses. After it was done I was told what the Kervallion tradition was and Thia attempted to give me a gift pulling out the fucking “Staff of staves”, I had no idea what it was at the time but that thing…

With that completed Rolan Nailò made his first visit to the “Deep woods” of the day and Mark went to Ennith bringing with him a invitation to the Vontaren winter ball (something he had received from Elend Vontaren). While he did that Thia took Mara and Zanthon to the grand academy where they met Margret Vint and the creature from the hidden vault See’Krett. After some introductions (that were about as smooth as introductions with Margret and See’krett ever are) it was time for Margret to try the much talked about spell she had been working on, casting from a adjacent room Margret magically appeared back amongst the group completely naked, a condition she seemed unaware of until it was commented upon (leading to her rushing out of the room to regain her clothes), this aside Thia seemed impressed with what was more or less a new spell and could apparently “think of some uses for it” Thia received a wrapped gift from Margret and left.

Moosa who had been infiltrating Vontaren supplies and applying additional ingredients, finished and helped mark rent a carriage to take Ennith to the Vontaren ball. Mark and Ennith had a more or less pleasant evening despite one or two other guests overindulging and becoming ill, that is until the amount of sick guests became fairly suspicious Mark went to question Elend about the situation and it was while he did that that the swarm of rats arrived. It was as Mark was standing at the top of a set of stairs using his sword to try and keep the rats at bay that Rolan unexpectedly arrived following a message from Moosa (more or less), he came with enough antidote for Mark and Ennith (a shame for poor Elend) and with that the Vontaren ball was over.

If one wanted further entertainment that winters day there remained the Zahn ball, the Hastings ball and the royal gathering. Moosa attended to the Zahn gathering, Zanthon was given a meeting with Joanna Zahn and Rolan took Howling Under The Two Moons to enjoy all the sights of the Zahn estate courtyard. Mark meanwhile was bringing Ennith along to the palace having been invited by Gaius and Thia came along having been given an impromptu invitation by Vigo. Thia immediately made a strong impression by drawing much attention to her elvish nature this allowed Mark and Ennith to fade into the background more than they might have, Thia was even introduced to Varlan by Mara (who was also there apparently…?) the conversation was somewhat unpleasant but was possible only a cover for something to be put in Varlan’s drink.

Towards the end of the night all but Moosa gathered in the deep woods Zanthon, Margret and Zorias included. Among the food and drink available was tea brewed by Rolan and much fine wine that had somehow made its way out of the palace. Ennith was pulled aside by Mark for he had commissioned an item from Zorias constructed with part of the communication stone Ennith had given mark, now Mark gave Ennith a ring and a proposal to which the answer was… yes.

Mark announced that he would leave the group for now to refocus his efforts on Ennith (and The Ordo Noctum). Rolan asked for his sword and with some hesitation Mark gave it over.

The First solstice the party spent together in Avissium they ate and drank, they spent time with the rich and powerful, they earned money and they were surrounded by allies, many had met Zanthon that day but none of them knew exactly who he was (yet). Mark had moved on (for now) but Mara had proved useful ally (for now). With Zanthon in the city it was however only a matter of time before things became more complicated…

the party reconnects with Avissium

Packing up concluded the party had finally made it home to Avissium. Practical as ever Moosa left behind his food supplies in case the winter sprites were still following and gave his half-plate to Zanthon to provide some limited disguise. Before even returning to their home the party’s first stop was Zorias’s, allowing Mara, Zanthon (and I suppose “Howling Under The Two Moons”) to encounter the purple door and strange store within. Running the store was a young elf who greeted the party with great unenthusiasm, this elf was made to collect Zorias who arrived with all the speed and offers of standing staves as was apparently expected. After introductions of the party’s new wolf, hopefully wealthy ally and “dave” the shopping could begin. There was a lengthy period of price checking and discussing what was possible but at the end the party had purchased on this one trip more magic than they ever would be expected to have. This included

shoes designed to assist in moving silently

cloaks designed to help the wearer blend in to a location

a large jug said to produce different liquids

a bottle of air

a large fan

a single white feather

two goggles meant to help non elves see in the dark

of corse healing potions

Not everything they wanted was practical or affordable, some things were simply not available yet so the party planned to returned tomorrow to see if more communication earrings could be made, Moosa could buy a amulet to ward against attempts to magically locate and spy on him and RolanRolan Nailò arranged to have magical sigils tattooed onto his arms. After most of the shopping was concluded the party were able to take a second and notice that Zorias was wearing uncharacteristically plain clothing, it seemed that this was part of some Xargosian ritual that was to soon take place, once it was brought up Zorias explained that the there was something that he was to do tomorrow that traditionally involved the participants closest ally and for Zorias there was only the party, he asked for their assistance they accepted.

While the rest of the group returned to their well cleaned and maintained townhouse Rolan tracked down Ashleigh an elf he knew from the deep woods, he gave he a strange axe he had acquired and invited her over for dinner that night. Back at the house Gaius had arrived to check in having heard the group was back, while Thia spoke with him Moosa, Rolan and Zanthin (in the portable hole) went to visit Giles, they purchased some bracers that Howling Under The Two Moons could wear so that Zorias could enchant them later, Giles himself seemed relatively fine and did not have any pressing task for them tomorrow, unlike Joanna Zahn and Erin Hastings who ended up being Rolan and Moosa’s next stop respectively. The next day would be the winter solstice and brought with it associated festivals most of the major noble houses would be holding a celebration as a display of power moving between parties as a roving mass of wealth and privilege, Joanna worried about her houses power and asked the party to help make sure it went well, Erin worried about the Vontarens’s power and hired the party to bake sure the Vontaren celebration went poorly. Thia also Visited Vigo to check in and ask about Mara and with Margret Vint and See’Krett who also wanted to see her again tomorrow. In preparing for the Vontaren gathering Rolan ran into Vancill who asked if the party could help ensure Deep woods celebrations went well.

That night Rolan hosted Ashleigh on the ground floor of the townhouse, Mara spoke with Zanthon upstairs, Moosa left to find the winter sprites and Thia left for the deep woods. Rolan drank and ate with Ashleigh until he came to the realisation that he was not/was no longer attracted to her and so he announced this quite plainly and asked her to leave which went about as well as expected. Mara asked Zanthon about their relationship and where it was going to which he responded that he was unsure and Mara decided that she was fine for putting it off some more, Zanthon went to say something but stopped himself when questioned he said “never mind” when questioned further he left but soon found out how small a two(/three) storey townhouse could become. Thia’s evening with Vancill begun with somewhat awkward conversation about her left hand but soon enough progressed to the desired result.

The next day brought with it the winter festival and with it many obligations and tasks from those the party knew even putting aside if they had any plans of their own. Avissium was full of spies and those who used them, anyone important enough knew that the party had traveled to Sanuus, made contact with Zanthon, saved him from assassins and then disappeared into the woods. Well now the party was back and it was only a matter of time until Zanthins presence set off grand and unpredictable events but if they where very lucky they could have one last Holliday first…

The party finds a little more strangeness on the way home

There apparently being Something in the water the party had been relaxing at the Druid grove getting to know each other better. somewhere along the line Mark made the decision that he should take Griffolk and the two sailors on ahead to Avissium leaving Rolan, Moosa, Thia, Mara and Zanthon behind. It was after Mark left that Rolan was reunited with Armir the elf who taught him most of what he knew about hunting, tracking and fighting. As soon as Armir found out about Rolan’s rib injury he set about running him through drills which over the next week became running Rolan back through Druidic style ranger training and as Rolan run back through his original training he found that he was able to take it further now with more world experience. Having (more or less) found success with speak with animals and animal messenger spells Rolan spent time with the beasts that stayed passively at the grove and hunting with the other rangers and their animal companions. Eventually when he was ready Rolan brewed a druidic potion made from particular herbs and preformed a ritual at the edge of the glade, the rest of the party watched as he sat in silence waiting until a single wolf walked out to the forest up to him looked him over and sat down next to him. Upon completing the ritual Rolan had bound himself to this wolf who he named Howling Under The Two Moons, this beast would protect him and fight alongside, another strange member of a strange party.

Armir came to Rolan and told him it was his task to travel to a cave just north and deal with the spiders there while Armir’s party dealt with a similar situation, as with all instructions form the druids Rolan accepted immediately and without question. The party (now including a forest wolf) traveled to a cave full of unusually well organised giant spiders fighting/sneaking their way in they found ostensibly leading the spiders was a Spider-Bear (just another impossible occurrence this trip). Soon enough there where fire bolts, synchronized elf/wolf attacks, unexpected lightning, brave charges and efforts to save brave chargers along with of course a dead Spider-bear. The Spider-bear was assumed to be a mindless beast thought this one had taken a trophy in the form of an elf head in any case Rolan took spider legs as trophies of his own and the party returned to the grove. Armir’s group had apparently found a similar scene Spider-Bear included, while Mara made sure Zanthon was healthy after the battle the issue was brought to Longwood. The old Druid(?) was as cryptic as ever but he did describe seeing creatures possible the spider-bears appearing “somewhere else”, he described places the party had apparently not heard of and scenes so strange and impossible as to be taken for metaphor, they seemed not to recognise the locations from folklore and legend “the land of the faerie kings” as it were, taking the locations as simply places they had never been (true to an extent) there was little more to to than more on.

Time had come to travel onward and leave the druids behind, Rolan elected to travel a little ahead owing to some awkward he had accidentallyseen. he stopped and let the group catch up a few days in when he saw what he described as an “Evil pixie” investigating further the group did eventually track down a group of small winged blue skinned creatures that the rest of the party took a greater liking to than Rolan. Thia was the one who left stealth to greet them though she didn’t get much more of a conversation than “whed esa irrui arll?” she did however feed them berries and leave peacefully. Rolan alone wanted to slay the creatures but gave in to the party’s alternate plan of not. Seeking to teach Rolan some lesson about peaceful coexistence with winter sprites Moosa secretly left behind the group a trail of berries and didn’t warn them about the two sprites following. It was that night that Thia and Mara on their watch witnessed the sprites coming up and investigating the magical dome where they slept touching the side, stomping on the top, attempting to tunnel underneath and even laughing a ice knife at the structure. Thia and Mara did emerge from the dome and Thia casted a spell allowing her to understand what the creatures were saying, the creatures didn’t have much information to offer but did ask for (and receive) alcohol the rest of the group were awoken and were able to interact with the (increasingly) drunk creature though to little meaningful end just another strange distraction, an impossible creature and briefly learned lesson for Rolan.

Within another couple of days Rolan found the basic structure he had built himself back when he was avoiding staying at the groups manor. The party had made it back to Avissium for better or worse and would soon find out what had changed and be responsible for changes of their own…

The party relaxes in each others company

Raving rested to recover from A giant stop they had taken the party did eventually make it back to a familiar mining village, a village that had apparently not been making use of the newly discovered gold for fear of “The dragon’s curse”. In an establishment displaying all the wealth and decadence of a small iron mining village Moosa offered the owner a bag of fifty gold and so took care of their immediate needs. As the rest of the group variably integrated, Rolan noticed the “dragon” himself. the old man he had shot still paralyzed apparently being cared for by his grandson. Over the rest of the day rumor where gathered, supplies where bought, armour was repaired and the party was given a chance to rest somewhere more hospitable than a burnt out giants cave. Word reached Moosa that the owner of the mine was scheduled to arrive at some point given that the overseer had been unfortunately paralyzed, talking to the inn owner he also discovered that the owner was Lord Straff Vontaren, that Straff didn’t necessarily know about the gold and that fifty gold with a suggestion would be enough to keep it that way. That night Rolan found the comfort of a bath, Moosa fount the comfort of a local and the rest found the comfort of not sleeping on the ground under a dome.

In the morning with newly purchased horse, wagon and winter gear the party set out, back on the mountain paths… that is until a couple of days in when Rolan steered the group down back into a forest. The advantage of this was that food was again something that could be successfully hunted for, indeed Thia found some voles…… As they traveled Moosa noticed a bird watching them, The second day he saw this he told Rolan who tried to communicate, the bird responded by flying behind a tree and walking out from behind it an elf. Aldor for that was this druids name spoke only in elvish and already knew Rolan and Thia, he was of corse the one who had Rolan on the journey to save Zanthon in the first place for someone like Moosa or Mara (who Zan was translating for) the conversation seemed somewhat unfriendly if not antagonistic though Thia claimed it was more of a good natured ribbing. In any case Aldor told the group that the voles they had eaten had been heavily poisoned by spider attack before the party got to them and they were likely poisoned beyond his ability to help where they where, and so he took them to the grove.

Aldor led the group and as he did winter trees gave way to ones still clinging To autumn leaves and soon enough trees still with fresh green leaves until the way opened to a impossibly green (at least for winter) grove with trees, grass, a lake, a waterfall, many animals and druids. This place was very familiar to Rolan, somewhat familiar to Thia and if anything almost unnerving to most of the rest given its impossibility. There was a trip to a woman living in a hut.. tree thing… who brewed together something meant to cure the poison and apparently it did. Given a situation without mortal danger Moosa visited the lake and at Rolan’s suggestion it soon became naked swimming/waterfall diving involving Rolan, Moosa, Thia, a druid and before long Mark and Griffolk. Mara however found a private spring and invited Zanthon to join her and so he did.

Some time later Thia was drying, Moosa was setting up camp and Rolan was partaking in a pain reducing herbal remedy, Aldor asked the invited the group to come and speak with Longwood inside a tree (where else?). Dropping to one knee the party spoke to Longwood, they asked him why they where sent to to save Zanthon and where told that the future looks better with him in it than without, when asked who plots against him they were told that some prefer the future without Zanthon. Longwood spoke vaguely and seemed to content to mostly help the party come to conclusions themselves like when he described them as a group of ten rather than nine, Rolan decided that he must be including the horse, Thia assumed it was her magical ghost hand. An idea was brought up to leave Zanthon in the druids grove but in something of a change of policy the group actually asked Zanthon what he though to that plan. Zanthon had little interest in being a guest of the druids and living in the forest for an extended period of time claiming that he was as uncomfortable there as Rolan claimed to be in the city so the Avissium plan remained. As the conversation and the group left Longwood Rolan remained to tell his teacher about his adventures and to seek more druidic education.

Thia stopped to talk with Aldor and spoke about their adventures with the “Spider-Bear”, “The waterfall that grants fishes” and the being living at the top of the large tree she seemed to have something else on her mind but was unable to articulate it. Thia left to talk with Mara in the lake and while they were bonding Zanthon took an opportunity to speak with Aldor. When that finished Moosa went to Aldor and told him that Thia was interested in him and that he should talk with her to which he responded that he knew and was working on it. Zanthon went to Mara and pulled her into a conversation away from Thia while Aldor took his opportunity and joined thia in the lake…

“I don’t know how this is done in the city or whatever but uh. want to fuck”

Rolan's giant fall

Having gone Bear and back again the party reached the end of the forest they were traveling through, it was decided that they would then head up through the mountains and try and make it back onto the path they had travelled through originally. Without the support of a full merchant caravan food supplies were becoming a problem, while water was plentiful with streams flowing off the mountain down to the forest game was harder to come by especially as the temperature dropped. Given the angle they had approached from the party found themselves in seldom used paths all of them rough many of them dangerous although none as dangerous as the one with the giants.

The two giants each at least twenty feet tall and covered with grey almost blue muscle hurled large boulders at the party from a stealthed position, they were not prepared for the parties rapid and overwhelming response. Hoping for supplies Rolan tracked down the cave where their attackers were operating from. Inside the cave remains of animals and humans were found including what seemed to be the remains of a caravan. The walls of the cave were covered in crude carving and there was a huge throne carved from stone and oversized bone, there were stone structure the party deduced were beds, five of them. A secret room was found containing some collected wealth and a strange artifact, a bundle of various staffs, staves and sticks bound together into a large… something. While Thia collected food supplies and Moosa collected gold and gems, Rolan kept watch and with good reason as he soon saw a group approaching similar to their foes earlier that fay though all were larger, with this the group elected to sneak off.

Moosa remained unsatisfied and argued for them to (after a rest) sneak back in and kill the giants Rolan and Thia were on board, Mara and Zanthon less so but still this is what they did. With magically induced stealth the group ambushed the first of the three and killed him almost before he knew what was happening, this attracted the attention of the others. Rolan took a bad hit early and surprised that he lived though it the giants focused on hum until he fell. Zanthon dragged Rolan away, Mara attacked from stealth, Moosa tumbled around the battlefield and Thia.. reacted badly to Rolan’s condition.

Outside the cave back with Mark and the others, black smoke behind them Rolan had received what healing was available he was alive if not exactly well, for the next few days a section of the cave was cleared out as the group rested for a few days during which time a somewhat different Thia was seen as she cared for Rolan.

Eventually Rolan was able to travel again although he was far from fully healed soon they would arrive back to a familiar village…

“My name is Trekaros stone face and I am a certified G(iant) and a bonafide stud
and you can’t teach that
and this right here is Warlord Urvar rockballs and he’s 30 foot tall
and you can’t teach that”